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3 1833 03239 2067
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Donovan, Daniel.
Sketches in Carbery, county
Cork,
.
SKETCHES IN CARBERY,
COUNTY CORK.
ITS ANTIQUITIES, HISTORY, LEGENDS,
AND TOPOGRAPHY.
BY
DANIEL DONOYAN, JUN., M.D., Q.U.I,
DUBLIN:
M'GLASHAN & GILL, 50, UPPER SAOKVILLE-ST.
1876,
PKEEACE.
HERE are many interesting places within
the confines of Carbery, which supply the
antiquarian, historian, naturalist, and artist
with ahundant inducements for examining into the
records and curiosities of antiquity ; studying through
authentic sources the warlike achievements, the social
customs and manners of past ages and of more recent
times, and investigating the natural phenomena, and
admiring the beauties of scenery displayed in so
charming a manner where'er we turn our gaze.
Both visitor and tourist are well repaid for their
toil and trouble whilst wandering through its hills
and valleys, by observing views, marine and land-
scape, at once picturesque, stern, beautiful, and diver-
sified in the highest degree — bold, rocky headlands,
precipitous cliffs, rugged mountains, and gently wind-
ing and romantic harbours and bays.
The more sublime and imposing scenery of Kil-
larney and Grlengarriff, Ban try and (jougane Barra,
-has been already fully dilated on by the eloquent
vi Preface.
pens of clever writers, or transferred to canvas with
artistic skill by the magic brushes of skilful painters.
Though Carbery may be comparatively barren of
interest, when placed in contrast with such spark-
lino- gems of the Emerald Isle, still, however, it
possesses sufficient attractions along its picturesque
sea-coast to entitle it to more than a passing notice
either in poetry or prose.
The " Sketches in Carbery," written from time to
time at irregular intervals, during leisure hours, have
already partly appeared in the columns of the West
Cork Eagle. I have now collected them together
• for publication in the form of a small volume.
They are more or less of a superficial character,
skimming over the surface, and wanting perhaps in
the statistics and practical details which charac-
terize the hand-books of a country or locality. They
+reat in a rambling manner, as the name would
imply (a sort of OUa Podrida), of the local history,
legendary lore, antiquities, and topography of various
interesting places throughout the extensive baronies
of Carbery, county Cork.
They do not embrace or give in consecutive order
a complete account of the various towns, and it is
more than probable that some topics of interest have
been either forgotten by the writer or only casually
referred to. I have endeavoured, however, as far as
my limited information and knowledge of the subject
-TtfTai
~
Preface. v
could lead me, to condense, and arrange together, all
the leading facts and prominent occurrences, whether
historical or otherwise, which I thought might inte-
rest and engage the reader's attention. I am fully-
aware that many imperfections of style, and perhaps
some errors, hoth historical and archaeological, will
be discovered, and which are inseparable from the
labours of one who is comparatively a tyro in the
domains of literature : for such I must only solicit
the reader's lenient criticism and pardon. I have
ventured on the publication of the present little
work more in the hope that it may stimulate and
induce others better qualified for tasks of a similar
nature, to rescue from oblivion the fading memories
of by-gone days, and bring to light some of the
arcana of Irish local history and antiquarian lore,
than under the impression that I could contribute
anything stamped with the impress of originality or
worthy of permanent record.
Unfortunately the "manuscript materials" relating
to ancient Carbery are few and far between, and very
difficult of access. In the compilation and com-
pletion of the following pages, information relating to
the subjects' discussed has been principally obtained
from Dr. Smith's " History of Cork," written acentury
ago, a work displaying great talent and indefatigable
research, and generally correct in description; " Corca
Laidhe" (Miscellany of the Celtic Society), by the
vi Preface.
late John O'Donovan, LL. D., M. E. I. A., one of
the greatest Irish scholars of any age; Lewis's
"Topographical Dictionary;" and the manuscript
writings of John Collins, of Hyross. The remainder
has been supplied from personal research and obser-
vation, so far as the striking natural features of the
country, and its stories and legends are concerned.
All the scattered fragments, which could be col-
lected have been linked together, and arranged into
somewhat of a uniform shape, and though the result
must be looked on more as a compilation, than as an
original production, I entertain the hope that the
matters referred to will prove of some interest,
though they may not supply much information to
those who desire to be acquainted with the antiqui-
ties of the country, sketches of the surrounding
scenery, and the social movements of the inhabitants
during the lapse of centuries.
During the present century the language of ancient
Erin, her ethnology, her laws, and her social customs
and manners, have received considerable attention at
the hands of scholars in various countries, who
have devoted much time to deciphering the mouldy
and decaying, bat important manuscripts, many
of which were lying neglected in the State Paper
Offices, repositories, and archives throughout Great
Britain and continental Europe. They have traced
up to the fountain head the primitive Celtic
Preface. vii
stock, and the ancient language of this branch of
the Aryan, or Indo European races — the proge-
nitors of progress and colonization throughout
Europe.
Zeuss and Max Miiller in Germany, Professor
Blackie and Mr. Skene in Great Britain, and Lani-
gan, O'Curry, Drs. O'Donovan and Petrie, &c, in
Ireland, and a host of other distinguished writers,
some of whom have passed off the world's stage, and
others who are still busily engaged in learned re-
searches, have all, by their united efforts, rescued
from chaos and destruction the language and litera-
ture of Ireland.
A great amount of interest must be naturally
attached to the antiquarian relics, and literary re-
mains of a country, the remote history of which is
wrapt up in so much mystery, which was styled by
Phoenicians and Milesians Inisfail (the Isle of Des-
tiny), Ogygia (the most ancient land), and Ierne (the
Sacred Isle), and in more recent times Insula Sanc-
torum et Doctorum. The latter appellation it in-
herited during the three centuries which preceded
the invasion of the fierce and hardy Norsemen. This
was a sort of golden age, when Ireland shone forth
as a bright statin the world of learning, " domi
militiseque."
Celebrated seats of art and science flourished
then both in the north and south. Bangor, Armagh,
viii Preface.
Cork, Lismore, Rosscarbery, &g , were celebrated for
the learning of the teachers and professors who
taught and lectured in their academic halls.
In the Royal Irish Academy are still preserved
many rare and costly reliques of remote ages, and
invaluable manuscripts, which prove a considerable
advance in'the arts and sciences amongst our ances-
tors. The writer of the Prospectus to the Celtic
Society (1847) remarks truly and eloquently: —
" Ireland has yet Celtic scholars, of ripe and accu-
rate learning, profound and erudite antiquarians,
and was never more rich in that wise and public
spirit, which is alive to the honour, and athirst for
a true knowledge of the country."
Unfortunately, to one engaged in writing an
ephemeral work, such as the present, several obstacles
are thrown in the way, as no doubt many valuable
manuscripts treasured up within the ancient domiciles
and ecclesiastical edifices, like Sherkin andTimoleague
Abbeys, were destroyed or lost during the conflicts
and civil strife of former times ; so that it is only
through more general and remote sources, information
pertaining to the subject matter can be obtained.
In the arrangement and completion of this little
volume, I have^een deeply indebted to my learned
friends, Dr. P. "W. Joyce, M. P. I. A., whose valuable
services have been so kindly bestowed, and gladly
accepted of by me in the correction of the proof sheets
Preface.
IX
whilst going through the press ; and also to Eichard
Adams, Esq., B. L., of the editorial staff of the-
Freeman, for many useful suggestions.
I shall now, without any further preface, request of
my readers to accompany me through the following
chapters, whilst I introduce them to some of the re-
markable places in Carbery and its Hundred Isles,
entertaining at the same time the hope that they
may be interested and pleased with the contents of
this little " Sketch Book."
Siibbereen, 1st March, 1876.
_ A
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Carbery, its ancient History — The Old Milesian Families
who settled there — Mac Carthy Eeagh and Kilbrittan
Castle — Scenery along the sea-coast — A Geological
Legend — Physical aspect of the Barony ; its Mineral
Wealth, Climate, Picturesque Towns and Villages near
the sea — Skibbereen, Dunmanway, Clonalsilty, &c. —
Ecclesiastical Euins and Castles, &c
CHAPTER II.
Baltimore, derivation of name, antiquity — Expedition against
this place in 1537 from Waterford — Charter of incorpo-
ration in 1613 from James I. — Colonised by Sir Thomas
Crooke — Celebrated Algerine invasion of Baltimore,
20th June, 1631— Eeturned two M. P.s from A. D. 1 613
to 1800, when it was disfranchised — List of M. P.s —
Lord Baltimore, colonizer of Maryland, derived his title
from the place — Migration of the O'Driscolls to Spain,
the original country of their ancestors — Battle of
Eatb,
20
xii Contents.
CHAPTER III.
A trip down the Hen river — Scenery along the banks — Kelics
and ruins of the past — Abbey de Sancto Mauro,
founded 1172 — Abbeystrowry — View of the adjoining
country — Innishbeg island in the river, where Book of
Dues was presented to St. Pachtnan, first Bishop of
Eosscarbery, by the chieftains of Corca Laidhe — Einga
Eoga island, and castle — Innisherkin (Inis Arcain), its
Franciscan Abbey (A. D. 1460), subterranean cham-
bers — General description of these curiosities of the
Pagan age, 28
CHAPTER IT.
Sherkin continued — Castle surrendered to Captain Harvey,
A. P. 1601, after battle of Kinsale— The O'Driscolls
during the 15th century — Full account of the invasion
from Waterford — Digression upon the ancient Celtic
writing known as the Ogham — Cromlechs, their history
— The various forms of habitation in ancient times —
Eaths, Duns, Cahirs, Crannogues, &c, ... 46
CHAPTER Y.
Cape Clear (Insula Sanctte Claris) — The Gasconane Sound —
Captain Boyton's daring swim through the Gasconane
(1875) from the American packet — Lands atTrafraska
Bay, near Paltimore — General view of the island, size,
population, scenery — Carbery's Hundred Isles surround
us — Curious separation of Inisfadda (Long Island, near
Skull) into three distinct portions by a thunderstorm
in the 9th century — Sherkin and Cape Clear most
probably united to the mainland as a promontory in
remote ages — The Fisheries of Cape, climate, longevity,
great physical strength and endurance of the inhabi-
tants — Smith and Lewis's favourable opinion of them
— Distress in Cape during 1862 — Father Leader's
noble exertions on behalf of the poor people — Eeview
of Father O'Eourke's work on the Irish Famine of
1847 — Benevolence of Baroness Burdett Coutts towards
the islanders, ... 60
Contents. xiii
CHAPTER VI.
Cape Clear continued — History of St. Kieran, patron saint of
the island — Description of a severe storm in Cape
~~ during February, 1874 — Dunanore Castle, and .the
legend connected with it — General description of the
ancient feudal castles, their architecture and internal
economy — Beautiful view from Dun-an-Ore — A glance
at Irish history during the close of the 16th cen-
tury, 80
CHAPTER VII.
The O'Driscoll pedigree — The aboriginal Milesian colonists of
Carbery — Sir Walter Coppinger — Petition against his
encroachments by the Mayor and Burgesses of Balti-
more—The Telegraph Station on Cape very important
during the American war — The old Lighthouse, and
magnificent sea view from there — The Signal Tower —
Fir breogach — Lough Errul ; habits and manners of
the people — Cape Clear, a miniature kingdom, an
"Imperium in Imperio" down to A. D. 1700 — Crua-
thar O'Karevaun (O'Driscoll) the celebrated giant —
Agriculture of the island, &c, &c, .... 99
CHAPTER VIII.
The Skeams, Lough Hyne — The rapids, lakej surrounding
mountains, said by geologists to be the result of vol-
canic action — Scenery in the neighbourhood — Poem on
Lough Hyne — Legend about the old castle — Labhra
Loingseach — Bill Barrett's midnight visit in search of
the golden treasure hidden beneath the castle— Saint
Bridget's chapel and well — Pillar stone and sculptured
cross — Story connected with them — View from the
adjoining eminence 116
CHAPTER IX.
Coast line from Lough Hyne to Castlehaven — Tithe riots —
Naval engagement in Castletownsend Harbour, between
the Spanish forces under Don Pedro de Zuibar and the
xiv Contents.
TAOE
English under Admiral Levison, on the 6th December,
1601 — Battle of Kinsale — Departure of O'Donnell
from Castlehaven for Spain — Mr. Froude's discovery
about the real cause of O'Donnell's death — Interesting
relic of the O'Donnells in the Boyal Irish Academy —
Remarkable Cathair and ruins of Clochan on Knock-
dromma Hill, near Castletownsend — Beautiful view
from it, &c., 130
CHAPTER X.
Myross — The O'Donovans — Baunlaghan — Smith's account of
the Dadagh Scene at Blarney Castle — History of the
Clancahill or senior branch of the O'Donovans — The
Mealagh river — Castle Donovan — A condensed account
of the O'Donovans' genealogy down to the beginning
of the present century — Castle Ivor — Lough Cluhir
and the legend about Ivor— John Collins of Myross, a
brief account of his life — Myross continued — The Cis-
tercian Abbey of Carrigilehy — The old fishing hamlet,
and the wreck of the smuggled cargo of brandy —
Squince House, seat of the Clanloughlin O'Donovans —
Shipwreck at Blind Harbour — Dean Swift and the
"Carberia Rupes"— "Harrington's Lights," 1832—
Mysterious appearance at Union Hall — Letters on this
wonderful occurrence from a writer in the New Monthly
Magazine, and Doctor Donovan, senior, of Skibbe-
reen, 153
CHAPTER XL
Glandore, origin of the name— Fairy legend about the Prin-
cess Qeena — Carraic Cleena — Remarks on both by
Drs. Todd and Joyce, M. R.I. A. — Glandore Castle —
The Fisheries — Spirited exertions of James Redmond
Barry, Esq. — Poem on Glandore— Capture of a whale
— Myross House — The Leap — Smith's account of the
dangerous passage across the ravine — Ballinlough —
Lis-an-Earla and the legend of Tir-na-nOgue — Lough
Adereen, and the floating islands — Fairs, faction fights,
and festivities — Philosopher Thompson and the co-
operative communities — Scenery between Ross and
Glandore — Pouladav, curious formation — Ballyverine
Contents.
xv
PAOE
House, or Coppinger's Court, and a short sketch of
Sir Walter Coppinger— Benduff Castle, its history—
The Morrises — Penn, &c, 184
CHAPTER XII.
Rosscarbery, of ancient origin— Great seat of sanctity and
learning in former times— Professor Spalding on the
antiquity of Irish Histories — Ross Aillithir (wood of
the pilgrims : Joyce)— Scenery in the neighbourhood
— St. Fachnan, patron saint of Ross, founds an ancient
abbey here— Dr. Lynch, Killala, on derivation of Ross
— Former extent of diocese— Legend about St. Fach-
nan — Toumpleen-na-Fachna — Hantner and Camden
on Ross — St. Brendan — Retrospective view of the dis-
tinguished bishops of this venerable See— Ross Cathe-
dral, general account — Curious case of trance, or
suspended animation — Modern pilgrimage to the tomb
of the Rev. John Power, P.P Ross graveyard, &c —
Conclusion, 216
AA
SKETCHES IN CARBERY.
CHAPTER I.
Carbery, its ancient History — The Old Milesian Families who
settled there — Mac Carthy Reagh, and Kilbrittan Castle — Scenery
along the Sea-coast— A G-eological Legend — Physical Aspect of
the barony ; its Mineral Wealth, Climate, Picturesque Towns and
Villages near the Sea — Skibbereen, Dunmanway, Clonakilty, &c.
— Ecclesiastical Ruins and Castles, &c.
| HE ancient name of Carbery was Corca
Laidhe, which., translated, means the marshy
territory belonging to the tribe of Laidhe
or Lug Ith (the lesser Ith), who was son of Ith, the
paternal uncle of Milesius. (See " Miscellany of the
Celtic Society"). It is said in the "Annals of the Four
Masters" thatLuglth acompaniedthe sons of Milesius
to Ireland, about fourteen centuries before the Chris-
tian Era He was ancestor to the O'Driscolls, whom
we must rightly consider as the aboriginal Milesian
or Gradelian settlers in Carbery. Moore, in one of
his melodies, alludes to the generally accepted opinion
of the Milesians having come originally from Spain
to Ireland as colonists :
" They came from a land beyond the rjea,
And now o'er the western main,
Set sail in their good ships gallantly
From the sunny land of Spain."
2 Sketches in Carbery.
Corca Laidhe territory extended formerly from
Kenmare river on the west to the Bandon river on
the east. Its northern boundaries were not so well
defined, and, the country being mountainous and
barren in that direction, in all probability the Ban try
(Meallach) and Bandon rivers and the mountain
range between Dunmanway and Bantry formed the
limits of this territory, which was reduced consider-
ably in- extent shortly after the Anglo-Norman
invasion of Ireland. It comprised within its area
39 parishes, including a large tract of country at
present situated in the baronies of Bear, Bantry,
Kinalea, Kinalmeaky, Ibane and Barryroe. In fact
this ancient territory formerly exceeded in size several
of the present Irish counties.
The surface of the land during the 12th and 13th
centuries presented a very different aspect from what
it now exhibits. Large tracts were covered with
marshes, bogs, and moorlands, which at present pro-
duce rich crops and form good pasture land. Forests
of oak, birch, alder, fir, and yew were also thickly
scattered over the country. The fir trees must have
grown in greater abundance than the other varieties,
as their remains are more abundant in the bogs than
the relics of all the rest combined. In the far distant
- past Corca Laidhe must have been a very wild country
in the interior, thinly populated, a large portion
covered with marshes and primeval forests, watered
by numerous streams, and having a very damp
climate. Nevertheless, along the sea-coast there
were traces of cultivation and advancement, where
it presented the same picturesque and romantic
aspect which it displays at present.
So far back as the reign of the Boman Emperor
Adrian, in the 2nd century, Ptolemy, the celebrated
Sketches in Car ben/.
-
geographer and astronomer of that period, was
familiar with, the coast of Carbery. In one of his
maps he prominently marks out the Mizen Head
(Notium Promontoriuni), and, also, describes the
territory as being inhabited by the " Iberi," which
points significantly to the origin of the inhabitants
from a Spanish source — Iberia being the old name
of Spain. Considerable traffic formerly prevailed
between Spain and the inhabitants residing between
Baltimore and Berehaven. Spanish colonists settled
down along the coast, and intermarried with the
original settlers. The Spanish type of feature amongst
many of their descendants is evident to the most
casual observer even at present.
Corca Laidhe was originally co-extensive with
the diocese of Eoss, founded by St. Fachna, one of
the O'Driscoll race, in the 6th century. Long '
before the English invasion the O'Mahonys, whose
stronghold formerly was in the neighbourhood ' of
Bandon (Drohid Mahon), made a raid upon the
O'Driscoll territory and possessed themselves of the
western portion of Corca Laidhe, bordering the sea
called Ivahah or Evagh (the western land), which •
comprised the parishes of Kilmoe, Skull (Scoole)
Kilcrohane, Durrus, Kilmaconogue, and Caheragh!
Along the coast they erected the castles of Bossbrinj
Ardintenant, Leamcon, and the three castles at Three
Castle Head ; also, Dunbeacon and Dunmanus castles. ^
The O'Mahony, of Kossbrin, in the reign of Queen
Elizabeth was a celebrated pirate. Sir George Carew
attacked his castle, and battered down the western ^
side of it. _ A very valuable old manuscript is still
extant, entitled the "Psalter of Kossbrin." It gives -'
a detailed account of the family history, and exploits
of the O'Mahonys. After the Anglo-Norman inva-
2* )
!
\
.—
4 Sketchesi'n Garbery.
si on of 1170 further encroachments were made on
this territory hj the English, and also by the Irish
septs, who were driven out of their original seats in
the counties of Limerick and Tipperary. A sort of
triangular duel took place, the Barrys, the Butlers,
and the Fitzgeralds attacking the Mac Carthys, the
O'Mahonys, the O'Sullivans, and the O'Donovans,
who in their turn fell back in no amiable mood how-
ever on the O'Driscolls, who came off third best, the
greater part of their territory being swallowed up.
In the year 1192 the O'Sullivans, who had been
originally located about Cnoc-Raffon and Clonmel
(Cluain-Meala), in the present county Tipperary,
were forced to migrate to the south, and wrested from
the O'Driscolls that portion of Corca Laidhe now
known as the baronies of Bear and Bantry. The
Barrys and O'Cowhigs seized on the eastern portion
\ of the principality, now Ibane and Barryroe. Along
the coast in this vicinity the latter erected the castles
of Dundeide, Dunworley, and Doneen, whilst the
Barrys erected near Ross the castle of Rath-Barry,
the modern name of which is Castle Freke. The
O'Donovans, about the same period, viz. the close
of the 12th century, retreated to the south from their
ancestral domains on the banks of the river Maigue,
county Limerick, where they occupied a territory
called Cairbre Aebha (beautiful), situated in the
barony of Coshma, near Kilmallock (the Baalbec of
Ireland). They were expelled by the Fitzgeralds,
who then took up their abode in Limerick. The
O'Donovans settled down finally in the mountainous
district of Corca Laidhe, known at present as the
parish of Drimoleague, after defeating the original
proprietors ; to their newly-acquired possessions they
transferred the tribe name of the family Cairbre. It
-.
£
Sketches in Carbery. 5
was also called ClancaHll, and the former name, as
O'Donovan tells us in " The Annals of the Four
Masters," by a strange whim of custom was extended
during the 13th century to the entire tract of country,
known at present as the Baronies of Carbery, super-
seding the old name of Cofca Laidhe. In the begin-
ning of the 13th century the chief Irish septs
inhabiting Carbery were the MacCartlrys, O'Dris-
colls, O'Sullivans, O'Donovans, O'Mahonys, O'Heas,
O'Learys, O'Cowhigs (Coffey), OFlynns, O'Henni-
gans, &c.
Smith says of the eight families of royal extraction
of this period in the county of Cork, four belonged
to Carbery, viz.: — The MacCarthys, O'Mahonys,
O'Driscolls, and O'Donovans. A. D. 1232 Cormac
Grott, third son of M'Carthy Mor, invaded and
acquired supreme power over this territory, and his
descendants established a sort of dynasty, the head
of the family Mac Carthy Eeagh (swarthy) was styled
Prince of Carbery, his chief residence being Kilbrit-
tain Castle, near Timoleague, the original seat of the
De Courceys, Lords of Kinsale, who came to Ireland
first in the reign of Henry II. According to good
authority the date of its erection was 1035, which
has been plainly deciphered on the walls of the castle.
A strange story is related how one of the M'Carthy
Reaghs became possessed of Kilbrittain. One of
the De Courceys borrowed a white ferret from
M'Carthy, and allowed the latter to hold the castle
pro tern, as a security for the loan of the ferret. The
animal died whilst in De Courcey's possession, and
Mac Carthy, according to stipulation, became Lord
of Kilbrittain Manor. Such is the story or tra-
dition.
In the beginning of the 17th century the O'Dris-
'
\f:
Sketches in Carbery.
coll territory had been reduced within a narrow com-
pass by the various encroachments of surrounding
foes. It constituted a territory (a rural deanery)
styled Colleymore and Colleybeg, including the
parishes of Myross, Grlanbarahane (now Castlehaven),
Tullagh, Creagh, Aghadoune and Cleere. The
names Colleymore and Colleybeg are still' retained,
being two townlands on the banks of the Hen, near
Innisbeg, and Eingarogue islands. In 1636, accord-
ing to O'Donovan, "the entire of O'DriscolTs County,
as well as these of O'Donovans, and O'Mahonys, and
several septs of the MacCarthys, paid tribute to
Mac Carthy Eeagh." The Barony of Carbery, though
at present reduced in size, is of very consider-
able extent, being 40 miles in length, containing 46
parishes, comprising 360,933 acres, equal in area to
some Irish counties.
The sea coast, as I have already remarked, presents
scenery of the most picturesque character, and is
intersected in a remarkable degree by numerous
bays, harbours, and narrow winding inlets of the
sea. They form beautiful summer resorts, and afford
safe shelter to shipping, and splendid centres for
prosperous fisheries, which latter languish at present
through want of capital, enterprise, and encourage-
ment — without which they Cannot, of course, be
developed. What strikes the eye of the tourist,
especially when travelling through the west of the
arony, is the almost endless profusion of huge
boulders of rook cropping up out of the soil, or
detached and distinct from the bed on which they
lie. In some places they overhang the rude mountain
pathway, merely poised upon the pinnacle of some pro-
jecting mound, and seeming to threaten immediate
destruction to the passer-by. The summits and sides
!
Sketches in Carbery. 7
of many are covered with moss and lichens, and draped
in folds of holly and ivy ; they look like
" Giants of old turned to stone by some magic spell."
There is a very large one of these detached masses
on the road between Glengarriff and Berehaven, to
which some fanciful resemblance to a judge has been
made out ; it has a grave and dignified appearance,
the wig is represented by a thick covering of grey
lichens, the body being draped in robes of ancient
moss and red berried holly. Near the Priest's Leap
is another with a cup-shaped depression, and tra-
dition affirms that this cup never runs dry, contain-
ing even during the driest season some water, which
is supposed to -well up continually from a secret
spring within the rock.
There is a geological legend connected with the
history of those rocks, for geology as well as history
can dwell in the region of romance. Some thousands
of years ago, as geologists tell us, in the antedi-
luvian and pre-historic age of the world, a number
of icebergs from the frozen deep of the Arctic
regions went on an excursion to more southern climes.
As companions of their voyage they were accom-
panied by large massive blocks of stone, which had
been safely imbedded within their crystal walls.
"Whilst travelling to the south some of the icebergs
paid a visit to Carbery, and under the influence of
its warm and genial climate, they fell into a melting
mood, and gradually dissolved away, allowing their
more durable and solid companions to be quietly
deposited on the hills and valleys of the Emerald
Isle. Here they secured for themselves fixity of
tenure, and some of them became rooted in the soil,
taking up a position and obtaining a holding from
8 Sketches in Carbery.
which they cannot he easily disturbed, and this is
the origin and true version, according to literati, of
the most remarkable of the " Rupes Carberiae."
The Baronies of Qarbery occupy a very large area,
about 600 square miles, with a population, according
to the census of 1871, of 88,241, and a valuation of
houses and land for 1874, of £146,389, exceeding
considerably in all these figures, when taken con-
jointly, any other barony in the county Cork. They
contain forty-six parishes, and the land — though
rough, rocky, marshy, and mountainous to some
extent — is fertile and arable in a great degree, espe-
cially the east barony.
The best land in "West Carbery is said to be the
parish of Myross, called, owing to its fertility, in the
Irish language, Garry or The Garden. The patches
between the rocks and hillocks, when properly re-
claimed, are most productive. In olden times the
land was covered with extensive forests, which have
been hewn down long ago ; and the country is now
very destitute of trees, a more extensive planting of
which would not only increase the picturesque aspect
of the scenery, but also improve the climate, and
afford more shelter and protection in stormy weather.
Owing to the nature of the subsoil, and the earth
being retentive of moisture, a very complete system
of drainage is necessary, and also a careful process
of tillage, ploughing and subsoiling at short intervals,
and greater attention should be given to the eradi-
cation of weeds. The soil is not particularly well
adapted for being laid out in pasture land, as, when
allowed to remain in statu quo for a period of about
five years, it is sure to revert into a wild, pristine
state of nature, and present a most uncultivated
appearance — covered and overrun with furze and
1
Sketches in Carbery. 9
ferns, rushes and moss, thereby converting into a
mere useless waste what might, under a better system
of agriculture, be fertile and useful land. Such a
condition of things throughout the west of the barony
is still, in some instances, familiar to the eye of the
most careless observer. The aspect of the land has,
however, improved much of late years, and numerous
acres, formerly occupied by bogs and morasses, have
been thoroughly reclaimed by drainage, &c. A com-
plete reclamation of the waste lands of Carbery, which
supply a more than fair proportion to the grand total
for Ireland, would add materially to the prosperity
of the country, but cannot possibly be accomplished
for many years to come by private capital and enter-
prise unless supplemented by state aid.
The geological formation of the barony is slate,
or shale, and old red sandstone, the latter predomi-
nating along the coast. There is a complete absence
of limestone, necessitating the importation of lime
from the north of the county, and also the carriage
of the rich and fertilising sand from Bantry, Clona-
kilty, &c, into the interior. This sand is very rich
in carbonate of lime, and is indispensable as a manure
for wet and boggy land. The sea-coast also sup-
plies in abundance the sea-weed which is so exten-
sively used by the farmers for top-dressing the land,
being in universal request for the potato crops near
the sea-shore.
Although "West Carbery has more rugged features
and less arable land than the last barony — the
scenery is more diversified, and of a wilder and more
romantic character. It possesses two sources of
wealth, which we might truly assert are in a stagnant
and semi-latent condition — the fisheries along the
coast and the mineral wealth buried within deep re-
10 Sketches in Carbery.
cesses of mountains. Mr. Guy, of Cork, in his re-
cently printed "Directory for the City and County
of Cork," which contains a great deal of useful infor-
mation, enumerates the numerous metallic lodes and
veins in the county, the majority of which are in
Carbery, viz. : « (1) Copper in Bantry, Eossbrin,
Ballydehob, Dunmanway, Skull, Crookhaven (with
silver bearing lead). The Cappagh Mine, Ballyde-
hob, was first opened early in the present century by
Colonel Hall, a Devonshire gentleman. Castle-
townsend, with lead and antimony; Boss, with
manganese ; Clonakilty, with lead ; (2) Sulphate of
Barytes, Skull, Boscarbery, Bantry, Clonakilty;
(3) Lead, Leap, with iron; (4) Iron was extensively
worked in former times at Aghadown and Boaring
Water. The working of the mines was suspended
in a great measure owing to the failure of the supply
of wood, requisite for the smelting of the ore. (5)
Manganese, Boss, Leap ; (6) Slates, Carrigbuy, Sher-
km, Drimoleague, Curragalickey, (Bandore, Boss,
Gaily Head, Clonakilty, Timoleague." The quarry
at Benduff is worked on a most extensive scale, the
slates being, in the opinion of many, equal to those
of Bangor. _ The works are conducted by steam, on
the most scientific principles, under the management
of James Swanton, Esq., A.M., and large quantities
are exported to various parts of the United Kingdom.
Here is evidence of great mineral resources, which
only require additional labour and investment of capi-
tal in order to extract out of the bowels of the earth
the hidden treasures concealed beneath the surface.
The climate of Carbery, though humid, is re-
markably mild and equable, no great alternations of
heat and cold. The temperature in the winter is even
2 deg. higher than that of many places on the conti-
'■'.'"■^Jl '--I""-
Sketches in Carbery. 11
nent, ten degrees of latitude farther south. The flora
give evidence of the genial nature of our climate.
The laurustinum, myrtle, fuschia, hydrangea, &c.,
growing and thriving in the open air, whilst many
rare shrubs, indigenous to' the shores of the Mediter-
ranean and the tropical regions of South America,
flourish along the sea-coast and come to maturity in
the open air. There are many beautiful inlets of
the sea, pleasant places of retreat in summer for
invalids or pleasure seekers ; picturesque localities,
which impress visitors much with the beauty of our
scenery, and the mildness and salubrity of our
climate, as, for instance, Rosscarbery, Grlandore,
Castletownshend, Baltimore, and Skull. Most
desirable localities can here be found for a seaside
residence, possessing more natural attractions, and
decidedly more sanitary advantages, than many of
the more fashionable marine resorts and vaunted
sanitoria of other countries.
Whereverwe turn we enjoy the bracing effects of the
sea-breeze — balmy, fresh, and pure from the waters
of the wide Atlantic. The summer months are
delightful, the climate being so temperate and whole-
some, and during the winter months, though many
- complain of the great rainfall, scarcely any frost or
snow occurs to produce a severity of season. This
climatic' tendency is accounted for by the fact that a
branch of the great gulf-stream impinging on the
south-west coast of Ireland tends, by its benign in-
fluence, to equalize and temper the climate in a re-
markable degree. It also accounts, more or less, for
the moisture of the atmosphere, and the growth in
some places of tropical plants. Places so remote,
owing to the want of proper facility of access, have
been more or less cut off from the stirring events
12 Sketches in Carbery.
which agitate the busy world outside. It only re-
quires railway communication, which will be soon
established; enterprise in the building of rural villas;
careful cultivation and judicious planting of trees in
the surrounding country, so that art may lend her
influence to add an additional charm to the beauties
of nature. Then, indeed, the places alluded to will
gain a widespread and well-deserved reputation
with visitors and tourists, and Carbery will no longer
be in the future, as it has been in the past, a sort of
" Terra Incognita."
The name of Carbery is not exclusively confined
to Munster, as there is a barony of the same name
in the county Kildare, on the verge of the Bog of
Allen, and another Carbery, an extensive barony
divided into Upper and Lower, in the county Sligo,
in which the town of Sligo is situated. However, it
is to the Carbery of Cork, by far the most important
of the three, that I must direct attention. The most
ancient town or village in Carbery was, undoubtedly,
Baltimore at the mouth of the Hen. It was the
central point of the O'Driscoll territory, the seat of
civil power, where subsequently an important town
sprung up, near the walls of Dun-na-Sead Castle. Its
early origin dates back from time immemorial, and at
a former period it was considered the nucleus of the
fisheries along the coast, and carried on an extensive
trade. Rosscarbery was also a town of great anti-
quity, the seat of ecclesiastical authority, and a place
to which, as Camden says, " resorted all the South
"West of Ireland for learning's sake," founded in the
6th century by St. Fachtnan ; but to the history of
Ross I will refer at more extended length on a future
occasion.
After the invasion and destruction of Baltimore
J
Sketches an Carbery. 13
by the Algerine pirates, A.D. 1631, that ancient
town fell to decay, and some of the wealthiest in-
habitants, who escaped being captured, deserted the
locality, and settled in the neighbourhood of Skib-
bereen, and from this period, viz. the middle of the
17th century, we must date the enrolling of Skib-
bereen upon the list of notable and rising towns in
the south of the county. Previous to the date re-
ferred to Skibbereen was a puny village, like Eome
in its infancy. The name Skibbereen, or Skubbareen,
is of doubtful origin, a puzzle to philologists and
antiquarians, and still sub judice.
Dr. Joyce seems to think Skibbereen meant a
place of skiffs, which used to ply across the river be-
fore the erection of the bridges at the Steam Mill
and Abbey. Skibbereen and the adjacent country
were formerly a portion of the domain surrounding
Grortnaclohy castle (Castleisland) and belonged to
M'Carthy Beagh, of Kilbrittain. There is scarcely
a vestige of the old castle remaining — the site of the
"baun," however, and traces of; the foundations, are
still visible. In the time of Cromwell, in the middle
of the 17th century, the M'Carthy estate was for-
feited, and Skibbereen and the lands of Gortnaclohy,
Smorane, and Coronea were granted to William
Prigg (an appropriate name) and Samuel Hall, who
changed the name of Skibbereen or Skubbareen to
New Stapletown; this latter name however was soon
replaced by the former euphonious appellation. The
eastern and greater part of the town is at present
situated in the parish of Creagh, being the Beecher
property, whilst that portion, the south and west,
known as Bridgetown and Townshend-street, belong
to the Townshend estate.
In the year 1691 a battle took place in the vicinity
r
14 Sketches in Carbery.
of the town, between a detachment of James the
Second's forces and Colonel Beecher, who received
a commission under William the Third. Three years
afterwards a party of rapparees entered the town,
attacked the custom-house, which they plundered,
and killed the two revenue officers. Dr. Dive
Downes, who was Protestant bishop of Cork during
the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th cen-
tury, made a tour of his diocese on horseback ; the
roads were narrow, and impassable for carriages in
those days. He visited Skibbereen in 1699, and left
a record of what he observed there. He stopped at
Lady Catherine Barclay's house, Bridgetown. The
illustrious Thackeray, in his rambles through Ireland,
paid a visit to Skibbereen. In his work entitled
" The Irish Sketch Book," he has given some humor-
ous and interesting sketches of the town, and his
visit to the "Beecher Arms" Hotel. Lewis, who
compiled his " Topographical Dictionary" in 1837,
mentions how Skibbereen had formerly " a very con-
siderable trade in the manufacture of woollen cloth,
linen checks, and handkerchiefs, which has altogether
declined." The same applies to most of the towns
in Carbery. The appearance of King Cotton on the
stage was most destructive to the welfare of the linen
weavers, whom he put to flight. Of late years there
has been a flax revival, the growth of which ought
to be more encouraged.
The population of Skibbereen has decreased con-
siderably within the last thirty years ; it was previously
nearly 5,000, and it is now only 3,700, a decrease to
be attributed to famine and emigration. The appear-
ance of the town has improved much of late years,
and it is steadily advancing in the path of progress
— extensive gas-works, water- works, and telegraphic
Sketches in Carbery. 15
communication established ; handsome public build-
ings have also been erected. Being a busy centre
of trade, occupied by an intelligent, enterprising,
and industrious population, it promises to advance
in prosperity. A very extensive trade is carried out
on Saturdays, and very large quantities of butter
and other provisions, and live stock are exported
continually. "When railway communication with
Dunmanway, Bandon, and Cork has been completed
— the work is at present in active progress — Skibbe-
reen will be the terminus of the line, and ought to
advance considerably in a commercial point of view,
as the town will be ipso facto the metropolis of the
"West Riding, and very probably an assize town also
eventually.
"Want of space prevents me at present from taking
more than a mere cursory glance at the other towns
of the West Biding, a full description of which is
given by Lewis and Bennett, and also in the Parlia-
mentary Gazeteer, by Fullarton, a very rare work.
Smith also, in his " History of Cork," gives a detailed
interesting account of their history, and other im-
portant features. In East Carbery the chief town
is Clonakilty, the derivation of the word is considered
to be the stone of the woods (Clough-na-kilte), from
the fact of the country around being formerly exten-
sively wooded, and some remarkable pillar stones
existing near the town. The country in the neigh-
bourhood of Clonakilty is fertile and productive. In
1613 — in the time of James I. — Sir Richard Boyle,
first Earl of Cork, obtained a charter of incorporation
for the town about the same time that Baltimore was
granted a sovereign, free burgesses and commonalty.
In 1641, 1691, and 1798, engagements and skir-
mishes took place at Clonakilty, between Royalists
16 Sketches in Carbery.
Parliamentarians, &c. About a mile to the north
of the town a very perfect droidical temple, some of
the stones equalling in size those of Stonehenge, is
to be seen — a great antiquarian curiosity. The popu-
lation, according to the census in 1871, was about
3,600. The cotton and linen manufactures of this
town formerly were most extensive, the latter afford-
ing employment to 400 looms, and 1,000 persons,
and the former to 40 looms. The weekly sales some-
times attained to the large sum of £1,000. These
manufactures, it is much to be regretted, have fallen
to decay. There is a considerable export from Clona-
kilty in the corn trade. The late Dr. Collins, B. O.
Bishop of Cloyne and Boss, a man of distinguished
talents, was born in Clonakilty. Lewis refers to this
circumstance in his work. He says: "The late
Michael Collins, D. D., B. C. Bishop of Cloyne and
Boss, who was author of several tracts on the state
of Ireland, and was examined before a select com-
mittee of the House of Commons in 1825," was a
native of this place. Dr. Collins subsequently re-
sided in Skibbereen, and it was owing to his active
exertions that the spacious and handsome B. C.
Cathedral and the National Schools were erected.
Dunmanway, another important town in Carbery,
has many interesting associations connected with it,
formerly the seat of a branch of the M'Carthys, who
settled down in the valley of Grleanachroim, where they
exercised a semi-regal sway, and built for themselves
famed Togher ?nd Dunmanway Castles, which latter
means the fort with the yellow gables or pinnacles.
Dunmanway owed its rise to importance as a manu-
facturing centre, chiefly linen, to the exertions of Sir
Bichard Cox, who was Lord Chancellor of Ireland
in the time of William III. He was Lord of the
Sketches in Carter y. 17
manor, and erected a handsome mansion for himself
near the town. He was drowned accidentally in a
small lake near Dunmanway.
I would fain linger at more length, and dwell on
details of interest about Clonakilty, Dunmanway,
Skull, with its wild and charming scenery; Crook-
haven, that famous port of call for distressed merchant
ships, and the other rising towns and picturesque
villages in Carbery. However, it would be impos-
sible to bring all their striking features before the
public in a proper light within such a limited space,
and I must, therefore, unwillingly, for the present,
commit them to a temporary and unmerited silence
and oblivion.
Of ecclesiastical ruins and castles, Carbery possesses
an ample store. The most remarkable and handsome
of the Abbeys was that of Timoleague, called after
St. Molaga, Tigh-ATolaga (house of Molaga.) It was
built in A.D. 1320, by Donald M'Carthy Eeagh,
Prince of Carbery. In 1400 the Franciscan monks
occupied it. In the reign of Henry VII. Edmund
De Courcey, (brother to Lord Einsale), who had
been a Franciscan, and was subsequently Bishop of
Eoss (1494) re-edified the Abbey, built the beautiful
Gothic tower, which still preserves its graceful pro-
portions, and also some of the dormitories, infirmary,
and library. He died in 1518, and was buried in a small
mortuary chapel in one of the transepts of the Abbey.
Timoleague Abbey was the final resting place of the
M'Cartbys, Barrys, De Courceys, ODonovaus, and
O'Heas. The most ancient Abbey in Carbery was the
one called Abbey deSanctoMauro atCarrigillihyinthe
parish of Myross, built in 1170 by Dermot M'Carthy,
king of Cork ; it was of the Cistercian Order, and
richly endowed ; all traces of the building have dis-
3
1$ Sketches in Carter//.
appeared. Abbeystrowry, near Skibbereen, was a
sub-branch of this institution. Sberkin Abbey, built
after the model of Kilcrea, belonged to the Francis-
can order; it was erected in 1460 by the O'Driscolls,
and is still in tolerably good preservation. The
architecture, both as regards strength and beauty of
design, still gives evidence of a high perfection in
that art, at the period in which these buildings
flourished. Their occupants were men of refined
culture, and studious, peaceful, and gentle habits,
who rescued from destruction the lamp of learning,
and exercised a civilizing and benign influence over
the rude manners and fierce passions of the dark and
feudal ages.
Everywhere we perceive relics of the olden times
— the raths, tumuli, cromlechs, and pillar-stones,
the works of a pagan age. Whilst guarding the
mountain passes, like grim sentinels on the watch,
or in the centre of secluded valleys, or, perhaps,
perched upon the pinnacle of some rocky peninsula
which projects into the sea, and whose beetling cliffs
frown upon the raging surf beneath, we observe the im-
posing castles, feudal fortresses of former days. There
they stand erect, as monuments of the past — land-
marks of history, "foot-prints in the sands of time" —
" Still braving the tempest's shock,
Like Corinack's fane o'er the golden plain,
Crowning the crested rock."
As we wander round these interesting relics of the
olden time, a flood of ideas rushes on the mind, asso-
ciations of the past are re- called. In the words of a
distinguished poet, a native of Cork, J. J. Callanan,
who died in Lisbon, 1829, I may add —
" We glean the grey legend, that long had been sleeping,
Where the mist and the rain o'er its beauty was creeping."
Sketches in Carbenj. 19
From out the castles' massive portals, some centuries
ago, oft issued the warlike and chivalrous chieftain
at the head of his gallowglasses and kernes, with
their saffron robes and bright battle-axes, armed for
a foray on some obnoxious neighbour, or to wage
unequal war with the trained and disciplined troops
of the Anglo-Norman invaders, who were shielded
in armour cap-a-pie, and mounted on high-mettled
steeds. "Within the walls, where now solitude reigns
supreme, and the ivy clambers around the deserted
chambers undisturbed, the only sound that breaks
upon the air is the beating of the waves upon the
rock-bound coast, or the scream of the wild bird dis-
turbed from its repose. What a change from the
time when the warrior knights and leaders of the clan,
around the gay and festive board, recorded their
brave and warlike deeds, their hair-breadth 'scapes
through flood and field, the Scanachie recited the
legends and family traditions of the olden time, and
the poetic minstrel tuned his harp, and poured forth
his soul in song: " Tempora mutantur nos et mutamur
in illis." However, it would be well if those who
venerate the past, and have some regard for the pic-
turesque, beautiful, and sublime, would endeavour
if they have the power, to rescue from destruction,
though they 'might not restore, to prevent from
crumbling into the soil on which they rest, these
ancient ornaments of the Emerald Isle —
" Before decay's effacing fingers
Have swept the lines where beauty lingers."
i
1
20 Sketches in Carbery.
CHAPTER II.
Baltimore, derivation of name, antiquity — Expedition against this
place in 1537 by Waterford — Charter of incorporation in 1613
from James I. — Colon>sed by Sir Thomas Crook — Celebrated
Algerine invasion of Baltimore, 20th June, 1631 — Eeturned two
M.P.s from A. D. 1613 to 1800, when it was disfranchised — List
of M.P.s — Lord Baltimore, colonizer of Maryland, derived his
title from the place — Migration of the O'Driscolls to Spain, the
original country of their ancestors — Battle of Rath.
The first place I intend describing is Baltimore,
anciently called Dunashad (the fortress of the jewels),
which is a place of great interest, when we take into
account -its antiquity and former importance. It was
called Baltimore from the words Baile-an-Ti-Mor,
which signify in the Irish language " The town of the
Great House." It was in olden times a celebrated
sanctuary of the Druids, who carried on their idola-
trous worship of the pagan god, Baal, in this place.
Not far from the present village are the remains of
a Druidical • altar or Cromlech, evidently of great
antiquity, where the Druids were wont to celebrate
the mysterious rites of their religion, and often sought
to propitiate the favour of the bloodthirsty Baal by
the immolation of victims to this ideal monster.
A Druidical circle can be also observed in the same
locality.
As far back as the beginning of the 16th century,
Baltimore was a town of considerable importance, and
a great resort for fishermen from the coasts of France
and Spain. In 1537 the merchants of "Waterford fitted
Sketches in Carhery. 21
out an armed expedition against this place. Some
ships, laden with wine from Portugal and consigned to
Waterford, were driven ashore in a tempest on the
neighbouring coast. These ships were plundered by
Fineen O'Driscoll and his sons, who were the chief-
tains of Baltimore at the time. When intelligence
of this outrage reached Waterford, great indignation
prevailed, and the mayor of that city immediately
sent a force of 300 men under the command of a
Captain Woodlock to resent the injury. They landed
in Sherkin, ravaged the island, destroyed the villages
and a Franciscan friary which had been established
there, and also besieged a fortress called the Castle
of Dun along, which they took by storm. They
burnt all the galleys and pinnaces belonging to
O'Driscoll, set fire to Baltimore, and attacked the
ancient Castle of Dunashad, the ruins of which may
be observed at the present day, commanding a fine
view of the harbour.
Smith in his " History of Cork" describes a curious
incident connected with the attack on this old castle.
" A William Grant, one of the seamen, was on the
top of the castle, which, being all on fire under him,
he stood upon a pinnacle and cried out for assistance.
One Butler tied a small cord to an arrow, and shot
it up to Grant, by means of which cord he drew up
a rope, which he fastened to the pinnacle, and slid
down safe to his companions, after which the army
arrived safe in Waterford."
• Baltimore soon again regained its former pros-
perity, and the next important news we learn is that
it received a Charter of Incorporation as a borough
from James I., March 25th, 1613, the government
being vested in a sovereign, twelve burgesses, and a
commonalty and was represented in Parliament by
22 Sketches in Carbery.
two members. An English colony had been planted
here a short time previously by Sir Thomas Crook,
prior to -which event the town of Baltimore and the
adjacent country had been a great stronghold of the
O'Driscolls, who also possessed the islands of Sherkin
and Cape Clear,- of which latter place they were
styled kings. The O'Driscolls forfeited all their
possessions, both on the mainland and in the islands,
during the insurrection of 1601, when the Spaniards
landed in Baltimore. The Spaniards surrendered to
Captain Harvey, who was in command of the English
forces. Most of the O'Driscolls emigrated to Spain,
leaving behind them their followers and dependents,
who gradually became mixed up with the rest of the
peasantry
Baltimore was not destined to remain for any
length of time in a state of repose. Sir "Walter Cop-
pinger reduced the place to great distress in 1629,
and took possession of the town and castle ; but the
greatest calamity which had yet occurred befel this ill-
fated locality on the 20th June, 1631, when two
Algerine galleys, manned with pirates, landed in the
dead of night, plundered the town, massacred the
greater portion of She inhabitants, and took the re-
mainder into a captivity almost worse than death.
Of those captured (200 in number) most were English
settlers. The Algerines were piloted into Baltimore
by a man named Hackett, a Dungarvan fisherman,
who, about two years after this occurrence, was taken
prisoner, carried to Baltimore, and hung on a high
cliff, facing the sea, and looking down on tbe very
channel through which the miscreant had but a short
time before so treacherously and cruelly conducted
the galleys of the bloodthirsty and marauding
pirates.
I
Sketches in Carbenj. 23
The description of this eventful narrative would
be incomplete without referring to the poem of
Thomas Davis on the "Sack of Baltimore," which tells
in more thrilling and graphic accents of the terrible
descent of these fierce Algerines than could be com-
passed by the tamer recital of prose : —
" The summer's sun is falling soft on Carb'ry's hundred isles —
The summer's sun is gleaming still through Gabriel's rough
defiles —
Old Innisherkin's crumbled fane looks like a moulting bird ;
And in a calm and sleepy swell the ocean tide is heard :
The hookers lie upon the beach ; the children cease their play ;
The gossips leave the little inn ; the households kneel to pray : —
And full of love, and peace, and rest — its daily labour o'er —
Upon that cosy creek there lay the town of Baltimore," &c.
"We refer the reader for the remainder to the
poems of the author.
Baltimore never recovered from the shock of the
Algerine invasion — its energies became paralysed,
its wealth and prosperity vanished, and it gradually
dwindled down into an insignificant village. It
however continued to send two members to Parlia-
ment until the year 1800, when it was disfranchised,
and the sum of £15,000 a\tfarded by Government to
Sir John Evans Freke, Bart., by way of compensa-
tion, for the abolition of its franchise. This final
blow completely ruined Baltimore, and deprived it
of all chances of attaining to anything like its former
position. Anyone visiting the Baltimore of the present
day, and contrasting its quiet, unpretending, and
unbusiness-like appearance with what it must have
been in the 16th century, if we are to believe his-
torians — viz. a thriving and opulent town, carrying
on an extensive trade by means of its fisheries with
the coasts of France and Spain, and the seaports
along the neighbouring coast — will have his ideas
24 Sketches in Carbery.
carried back immediately to those troubled and law-
less days when bloodshed and strife were almost
daily occurrences, and when the ancient chieftains
and the English settlers decided their differences by
appeals to arms. When he ascends the rocky emi-
nence within the village, on which stand the ruined
walls and battlements of the ancient castle of Duna-
shad, which was the chief stronghold of the O'Dris-
colls, and looks out upon the picturesque harbour,
with Sherkin, Cape Clear, and the numerous islands
fading away in the distance, what a crowd of ideas
rushes on his memory when he recalls the sanguinary
scenes of strife and contention which were enacted
almost beneath his feet. He pictures to himself the
feelings of dismay and horror that must have filled
the minds of its inhabitants when the fierce and
warlike Algerines carried fire and sword into its
ancient halls, and fancies with what sorrowful and
heavy hearts the old proprietors and chieftains of
the soil must have turned their longing eyes to* take
a last glance at the seats of their ancestors before
their final departure, in exile, for the coasts of
Spain. t-
After the reduction of Dunboy Castle, by Sir
George Carew, Lord President of Munster, in 1602,
we find that during his return to Cork, several other
fortresses of inferior note throughout the country
were stormed and captured by his victorious army —
amongst others, that of Clogan, near Baltimore.
The following particulars regarding its capture are
recorded in the "Paccita Hibernia," a work written by
Sir George Carew himself: — "Sir Charles Wilmot
took Macrocm Castle in September, 1602, and about
the same time that of Clogan, near Baltimore, was
summoned by Captain Flower, who had in his posses-
I
Sketches in Carbcry. 25
sion Mac Donough Durrow, brother of the Governor,
and sent him word he would hang him, if he (the
Governor) did not surrender immediately, but there
being in the castle a priest lately come from B.ome,
whom the Governor would not give up, he suffered
his brother to be hanged. Nevertheless, having found
means to procure the priest's escape, he sued for a
protection four days after, which being granted he
gave up the castle."
Before finishing my remarks on Baltimore, I must
refer to one of the only incidents of any importance
connected with the modern history of the place —
viz. the Bath Biots, or, as they are sometimes mag-
niloquently styled, " The Battle of Bath," which is
familiar to the memories of many of my readers.
When the poor laws were first established, about
thirty years ago, a spirit of great dissatisfaction was
evinced by the farming and labouring classes of this
locality, and a determined opposition organized to
resist the collection of the ra^es. A large force of
police, under the command of a Mr. Gore Jones,
stipendiary magistrate, and a Mr. Bichard Brew,
sub-inspector, was sent to protect the rate collector.
An attempt was made to distrain a few head of cattle
from some of the resisting parties near Bath chapel ;
opposition was offered on the part of the people, a
collision took place, the police fired, and two men
were killed and two severely wounded. After this
unfortunate occurrence, all opposition to the poor
laws ceased, and the poor rates have ever since been
collected without any show of resistance.
Appended is a list of some of the most promi-
nent M. B.s, who represented Baltimore from the
seventeenth century to the beginning of the nine-
teenth ; —
26 Sketches in Carbery.
1613. April 20th, Sir Thomas Crook, Bart., Bal-
timore. Henry Pierce, Esq., Dublin (James I.)
1661. Richard Townsend, Esq., Castletown-
shend.
1692. Colonel Thomas Beecher, sen., of Sherkey,
Edward Richardson, gent., Moerestown.
1703. Pierce Freke, Esq., Eathharry (pre-
sent Castle Freke). Thomas Beecher, Esq., Sher-
key.
1713. Hon. Richard Barry. Michael Beecher,
Esq.
1721. Sir Percy Freke, Bart., Castle Freke.
Richard Tonson, Esq., Dunkettle.
1768. Sir John Freke, Bart. Richard Tonson,
Esq., Baltimore.
1778. William Evans, Esq.
1783. Lord Sudley. Richard Longfield, Esq.
1797. George Evans, Esq.
In 1703 Edmund &alway, Esq. forfeited Balti-
more, which had been for some time previously his
property, for his adherence to Xing James II. It
was purchased soon after at the- sale of the confis-
cated estates (temp. Queen Anne) by Percy Freke,
Esq., of Rathbarry, ancestor of the present Lord
Carbery, for £1,809, the title of whose family to the
peerage dates back to 1815.
The ancient title of Lord Baltimore, time of Jamesl.,
was conferred on George Calvert, a native of York-
shire, but of Flemish extraction ; he was Secretary
of State, but in 1624 was compelled to resign, having
become a Roman Catholic. His second son, Cecil,
obtained a grant from Charles I., 1632, of a large
tract of country in America, known at present as the
State of Maryland (called after Henrietta Maria,
Queen of Charles I.).
Sketches in Carbery. 27
This state he colonized with a number of respect-
able families, chiefly from Ireland. The capital of
the State, Baltimore, at present one of the finest
cities in the United States (pop. 170,000), was called
after the place of the same name in Ireland. The
title, Lord Baltimore, has been extinct for some
time.
28 Sketches in Carbevy.
CHAPTER III.
A trip down the Hen river — Scenery along the banks — Relics and
ruins of the past — Abbey de Sancto Mauro, founded 1172 — Abbey -
strowry — View of the adjoining country — Imhsbbeg island in the
river, where Book of Dues was presented to St. Fachtnan, first
Bishop of Eosscarbery, by the chieftain of Corca Laidbe — Ringa
Roga island, and castle — Innisherkin (Inis Arcain), its Fran-
ciscan Abbey (A. D. 1460), subterranean chambers — General des-
cription of these curiosities of the Pagan age.
" The summer's sun is falling soft on Carbery's hundred isles."
Davis.
If one illustrious bard has immortalized in song
" The Isles of Greece," " where Phcebus rose and Delos
sprung ; " another, whose name is also familiar, has
brought into notice and raised to fame the Hundred
Isles of Carbery, which, if they fail to outrival the
Grecian Archipelago, still present points of attrac-
tion and interest to engage the attention and call
forth the ability of the poet and artist. The great
Dean of St. Patrick's, who lived for a year in the
neighbourhood of Glandore, has left us a Latin poem,
which he esteemed beyond all his writings, entitled
" Carberite Eupes," in which he briefly, with much
graphic force, describes some of the striking features
of the coast scenery between Baltimore and Glandore,
so deeply impressed and delighted was he with
what he saw during his numerous excursions along
the coast. Certainly when writers and observers,
whose names are chronicled in history, have selected
for their themes " The Sack of Baltimore," and the
Sketches in Carbery. 29
picturesque, if comparatively barren, rocks of Car-
bery, it proves beyond a doubt that there is some-
thing attractive and pleasing, after all, to be
discovered amongst the western wilds, and that the
nearest parish to America is worthy of more than a
passing notice, either in poetry or prose. It is my
intention to give a detailed account of only the two
most important islands — viz. Sherkin and Cape Clear,
referring briefly to the others which are comparatively
of diminutive size.
A trip down the river Hen, as it pursues its wind-
ing and picturesque course from Mount Owen (the
hill of streams) to the harbour of Baltimore, a dis-
tance of about fifteen miles, is a most pleasant and
interesting excursion during the summer months.
Starting from Skibbereen, we can either steam or
row, according to our pleasure, or rather as the tide
suits, to Baltimore and Sherkin, a distance of
eight or nine miles, and then cut the harbour's
mouth, and cruise about the group of islands I have
selected as the subject of the present sketch.
Let us now, en passant, gaze on either side, and
examine minutely any relics or ruins of the past,
which may possess either local interest, or whose
former history, however microscopic, may have handed
down some fact worthy of record. Not far from the
metropolis of West Carbery we pass by the ruins of
Abbeystrowry Church (the abbey of the stream ). The
fragmentary remains are by no means imposing ;
however, the gray crumbling walls, covered with
moss and lichens, and the overhanging, leafless trees,
tottering to their fall, proclaim a venerable antiquity.
Here, during the 12th century, on the site of the
present ruin, flourished a branch of the celebrated
Cistercian Abbey, founded at Corrigillihy, in the
L
30 Sketches in Cavbenj.
parish of Myross, A. D. 1172, by Dermot M'Cormac
McCarthy, who was king of Cork at that period;
hence the parish derives its name. Smith, in his
"History of Cork," writing about a hundredy ears ago,
states that in his time, although even then the traces
above ground of both Abbeys had disappeared,
" upon digging beneath the soil, the foundations of
the Abbey de Sancto Mauro, or the Fonte Yivo, at
Myross, and also a large cemetery with quantities
of human bones were discovered." A visit was made
to Abbeystrowry during the famine years by the
celebrated John Bright, to which he refers in one
of his speeches at Dublin, in the year 1866 ; and
he describes, with emotion, how he stood on that
ground, where countless numbers lay buried around
him, the victims of that fearful famine, which swept
like a desolating hurricane over the country.
We must leave, however, these melancholy tra-
ditions of the past behind us, " familiar in our mouths
as household words," and pursue our voyage onwards,
noting each matter of interest as we pass along.
Occasionally we catch a glimpse, at New Court and
Creagh, of bright patches of green verdure, which
show a proof of careful cultivation, and rich verdant
spots, in the hollows of the rocks here and there,
which contrast favourably with the brown, heathy
moorland, the dingy-looking bogs, and the unre-
claimed margins, where furze and rushes, weeds
and stagnant water assert their unproductive sway.
It realizes at once, to the inquisitive gaze, the right-
ful title to the term " Emerald Isle," which Ireland
claims as specially her own, and also clearly and
conclusively proves how completely the reclamation
of the waste land by draining, &c, can metamorphose
rocks and bogs, and acres, covered with moss and
Sketches in Carhery. 31
rushes, and sedgy pools, into smiling pasture and corn
lands, and countless ridges of luxuriant green crops.
"We must only hope the exodus from the old country
■will not deprive us heyond measure of the stalwart
arms so necessary to turn up the soil and prevent
the land from degenerating into a -wilderness.
The view down the river from near Creagh, on
a fine day, is quite attractive. The lien, winding
in a serpentine course towards Baltimore harbour,
shining and sparkling in the sunlight like a silver
thread, and dotted over with a multitude of rocky
islets, whose recesses form a safe retreat and favorite
feeding ground for flocks of sea fowl during the
winter months. Looking backwards, the country
presents no very striking features to engage our atten-
tion. We are chiefly struck by the almost complete
absence of wood, and the sombre-looking patchwork
of irregular fields, enclosed by earthen banks, and
the prominent position wherever we turn of the
"Carberise Eupes," so much admired by tourists
and strangers, most probably on account of the
novelty and_ singularity of the scene. Farther
inland, the view is intercepted by the dark chains
of hills, which stretch along in a south-westerly
direction, from the neighbourhood of Dunman-
way and Drimoleague towards the bays of Dunmanus
and Bantry. From one of these hills near Drimo-
league, where "rain clouds perpetually hover about,"
named Knuck Owen (the hill of streams), three
rivers derive their source — the Bandon river, the
Hen, and the Bantry river (the Meallagh). Par
away, towards the west, we descry the mountains
culminating to their highest points in Gabriel, the
Sugar Loaf, and Hungry Hill (2,251 feet high),
from which latter descends in the winter months a
Mr
32 Sketches in Carbery.
cataract unsurpassed in height by any in either Great
Britain or Ireland.
The first island worthy of notice is Inishbeg ; here
the river separates into two distinct channels — the
western one being navigable for vessels about 250
tons as far as Old Court. One memorable circum-
stance connected with this little island is the follow-
ing, mentioned in " The Genealogy of Corca Laidhe."
At Ard-na-bPartan, in Inisbeg— i. e., Crab Fish
Hill, on the Little Island, Conall, chieftain of Corca
Laidhe (the ancient name of Carbery), presented
the Book of Dues, about the latter end of the 6th
century, to St. Fachtnan, the first Bishop of Eoss-
carbery. On each bank of the river is a small
townland, called in the Ordnance Map Collatrum
Beg and More : the ancient name is still the
one used by the peasantry of Carbery. We
will refer to this subject again, as we proceed
further. Separated by a narrow channel from Inish-
beg, and occupying a position between the two river
channels, is the next island, Einga Eoga or Donegal,
as it is styled in the charts. The latter name is de-
rived from the words Dun-na-n Gall, which means the
castle or stronghold of the foreigners^ The same deri-
vation applies to the county of Donegal, the ancient
name of which was Tyrconnell. It was called Donegal
in more recent times, owing to the erection of a re-
markable fort by the Danes near the town of Donegal.
At the north end of Einga Eoga * we observe the
remains of an ancient castle, erected A.D. 1215, by the
Barrets of Munster. At the same period were built the
castles of Dun-na-sead at Baltimore, Glandore Castle,
* Einga Boja. Point of the Kout (Joyce), most probably owing
to the rout of some hostile attacking party, who laid siege to the
castle.
SI. etches in Carbtry. 33
and those of Timoleague and Dundeady. In fact
the majority of the feudal fortresses, the ruins of
which to-day are so thickly scattered over the face of
the country, were constructed in the early portion of
the 13th century. The disturbed state of society,
and the perpetual petty warfare and mutually hos-
tile reprisals which constantly prevailed, required
that every large dwelling-house should not only
shelter its inmates from the weather, hut also be
utilized as a garrison in times of danger. Einga
Eoga is connected with the mainland, on the eastern
side, by an excellent causeway, erected by Sir "W.
Becher. The island is three miles in length, and
one in breadth, comprising 986 acres. Previous "to
1847, it contained a population of 786, but now there
is not a tenth of the number, and this great reduc-
tion is to be generally observed in most places along
the coast, owing to the constant drain by emigration.
"Time and tide wait for no one," and we must
accordingly hurry on to Sherkin.
The island of Sherkin forms the western boun-
dary of Baltimore harbour, protecting it most effec-
tually, by its interposition, from the fury of the
south-western gales and the wilJWfraves f the
Atlantic. It is separated at the north end, by a
very narrow channel, from the mainland, which, as
the extreme end of Aghadown parish, projects in the
form of a promontory (Turk Head) between Balti-
more on the east side and Roaring "Water (Lou°h
Trasnagh) on the west. The ccrract name of the
island is Inis-Arcain — meaning the island of Arcan —
the name of a person. Smith incorrectly says that
the proper name was Inis Kieran ; but this could
I not possibly be the case, as St. Kieran was born
in C'npe Clear, and had no communication with
4
1
3-i Sketches in Carbery.
Sherkin ; at least we have no such account given in
the history of his life.
Smith, though a clever writer, aud possessed of
much general information regarding the county
Cork, was evidently not well acquainted with the
Irish language. Dr. Joyce, in his instructive work,
" Irish Names of Places," has thrown a great amount
of additional light on the topography and antiquities
of Ireland, as regards the correct derivation of the
names of the various townlands, &c, which have
mostly an Irish orthography, and gives us, at once,
a clear insight into their former history, and identi-
fies many interesting local circumstances which,
otherwise, would he buried in oblivion. Sherkin
extends in length, from north to south, three miles,
and is ahout a mile wide. Towards the south, the
land (where it faces the sea) is hold and elevated,
and terminates in Slea More (great hill) Point — it
forms the western boundary of the narrow channel —
the entrance to Baltimore Harbour.
On the east side of the channel, about a cable's
length from the shore, is a rock called The Loo,
which Unexposed at low water, surmounted by a
buoy. On the 30th April, 1697, an important wreck
took place here during a heavy gale. A man-of-war,
H. M. S. " Loo," struck on the rock, and was ship-
wrecked. No buoy marked the spot at that time,
and from this occurrence it derives its present name.
There is a good depth of water in the channel, and
excellent holding ground for ships near the Abbey
Strand, in thirty feet of water. In former times,
near the south end of the island, some valuable slate
quarries were extensively worked, the slate being of
a ffood description, and large quantities were ex-
ported to England. The object of greatest interest
mm
Sketches in Gurbery. 35
on the island is the Franciscan Abbey,' which
flourished here during the 15th century. It was
built, and at the same time also (A. D. 1460) the
adjoiuing castle of Dunnalong (the ship castle) by
Florence O'Driscoll, who, according to the historian
Ware, was lord of the town of Eoss, of Baltimore,
and of the island of Sherkin.
The Abbey is distinctly visible from Baltimore ;
it is close to the water's edge, near the Abbey Strand.
The adjoining ground is fertile, and the situation
selected was both picturesque and convenient. It
was built after the model of Kilcrea Abbey. The
ruins (which are well worthy of a visit) consist of
the nave, choir, tower, and south transept, the
intervening wall being arcaded in a finished style
with hewn free-stone, procured from a quarry on the
island. In addition, we observe remains of the
cloisters, refectory and dormitories, all in tolerably
good preservation, but the destroying hand of time
is slowly but surely crumbling into dust the relics of
what formerlj^just have been a very graceful and
ornamental building. When we enter within the
precincts of the surrounding walls, the traditions of
the past are immediately recalled; the cloisters and
dormitories and the choir of the church, which has
been occupied as a cemetery for the last two centu-
ries, present a desolate and solemn appearance. On
either side, in cells hollowed in the walis, are
heaped up piles of human bones ; and around on
the floor in every direction are rude slabs and head-
stones, sad mementoes of a past generation that
sleeps beneath the ferns, and tangled weeds, and
long, coarse grass, which spring up in rank' and
wild luxuriance wherever we turn. A corner-stone
near the east end of the building commemorates
4*
36 Sketches tn Carhoy.
by an. inscription the original date of erection —
1460.
The Abbey Tower is in good preservation, and,
having entered by a narrow, dark orifice, arched
over with cut-stone, we can ascend at our leisure the
spiral staircase which conducts us in safety to the
summit of the tower or belfry. This staircase is
what is commonly described as a geometrical one.
Each step is of free-stone, about two anda-half to three
feet long, pyramidal in shape, the base or outer end
of the pyramid being implanted in the surrounding
wall, and the inner detached and narrow end sup-
porting the step above, and being supported by the
one beneath ; and so on to the top. In one or two
places the steps have been destroyed. There is a
small loop-hole in the walls, about every twelve
steps, to admit light. At last we reach the ledge
which surmounts the entire structure, and carefully
steal along around the entire circumference, until
we reach the Wishing Chair, from which airy emi-
nence we obtain a most charming view. We observe
the Hen winding picturesquely through the clusters
of rocky islets which stud its mouth ; the high land
of Cape, and the broad blue ocean to the south ; the
romantic harbour of Baltimore, and the rugged sea-
coast in the background; and, turning our gaze west-
ward, we espy Eoaring Water Bay (Lough Trasnagh),
with some of Carbery's Hundred Isles stretched out
before us as on a map ; and the bleak, bold, and barren
Mount Gabriel looming out in the distance, clearly
and well defined.
Before concluding our notice of Sherkin it may
be interesting to describe the subterranean caves or
chambers, which were explored a few years ago.
Starting from the Abbey and Duuelong Castle, which
Sketches m Carberi). 3?
formed the subject of the last sketch, a narrow, rugged
path leads us through the centre of the island — to
its wild western shore — where we observe a com-
pletely land-locked harbour — Kinish or Cooney har-
bour — which communicates with Roaring Water Bay
by means of a narrow strait, where there is a good
depth of water. This little harbour, which has more
the appearance of a salt-water lake, is shallow
throughout, with an average depth of about 12 feet ;
it formerly, owing to its sheltered position, afforded,
when the fisheries were more flourishing than they
are now, a safe anchorage to fishing smacks, of which
as many as thirty at a time often took refuge here
during the prevalence of bad weather. At present
a solitary boat or two may be observed reclining
idly on the beach. It is only to be hoped a revival
of an important and lucrative branch of industry
will again enable the fishermen to seek the shelter,
when the occasion requires it, of this secluded but
safe retreat from the storms of the Atlantic.
Standing on a rocky summit near the beach, on
a fine day in summer, a sea view opens before us of
rare beauty. The bold bluff headlands of Cape Clear
are near at hand, and the rushing tide, which sweeps
so hurriedly through the Grasconane Sound, the whole
expanse of Roaring Water Bay, and its numerous
Islands, and in the far distance — the most southerly
point of Ireland — the Mizen Head is visible, termi-
nating the long sweep of rocky, mountainous coast
line, stretching away in the direction of Skull and
Crookhaven.
Between Cooney Harbour and the north-western
shore several underground chambers were acciden-
tally discovered in the month of October, 1869
Whilst some labourers were engaged at work, digging
38 Sketches in Carter;/.
in the corner of a stubble field, one of the spades sud-
denly penetrated a hole in the ground, and, the opening
having been enlarged, it was observed that it com-
municated with a dark underground cavern, hollowed
out of the stiff clayey subsoil. Descending, we
entered a vaulted chamber, shaped like a bee-hive,
and, having the following dimensions— length, 10
feet— breadth, 6 feet— height, in centre, about 5 feet.
The sides and roof were composed of stiff white clay,
intermixed with gravel. No rubble masonry, stone's,
or plaster had been used in the construction. The floor
was also_ gravel and clay. The chamber communi-
cated with a second of the same dimensions, by
means of a narrow circular opening about 2\ feet
high, and 2 feet wide. Having forced our way
through the aperture . on all fours, in company with
a lantern, we entered the second chamber, and in
the same manner four more, making six altogether,
answering nearly in all particulars to the description
given above. The last; chamber was more difficult
of ^trance, the orifice leading into it being very
narrow; it was also of somewhat smaller dimensions.
Here, after having crept a distance of sixty feet
under ground, after the manner of the ancient Trog-
lodytes, we were brought to a full stop, as at the
extreme end of the sixth chamber the place was
blocked up with large, irregular stones. On removing
one or two of these, a narrow dark chimney or ven-
tilating shaft was discovered, which, even the most
experienced sweep would not venture to explore, and
whose direction and final mode of exit we were
obliged to remain ignorant of. The entire floor of
this cell was covered thickly with a layer of dark
soot, and the surrounding walls were blackened as if
by smoke. No ancient relics were observed, or Ogham
T
Sketches in Carbery. 39
inscriptions. There was no difficulty in breathing,
as a current of pure air rushed through the chimney,
and a candle burned brightly when introduced
through the aperture. The field in which the under-
ground chambers were discovered was similar in
appearance and on a level with the surrounding
land, and no tumulus or vestiges of a rath could be
observed in the neighbourh ood . An an eient islan der,
who was present, stated that they had been opened
accidentally about twenty years previously, and that
a human skeleton was found buried near the entrance,
and that it crumbled into dust when handled, proving
its antiquity ; he also stated that a narrow stream of
water, at that time, flowed through the centre of
each crypt. No tradition exists in the island of
their having been used at any period by poteen dis-
tillers, smugglers, or pirates, as receptacles for con-
traband goods or " mountain dew."
As we ate discussing now a very interesting subject,
it may be cot amiss to diverge somewhat from the
beaten track, and leaving Sherkin to take care of it-
self, enlarge a little on these curious artificial caverns
in the soil, which still exist, almost untouched by the
hand of time, so extensively throughout the south of
Ireland, and which, if we are to believe some anti-
quarians, were formerly the abodes of Ireland's
aborigines, over a thousand years before the Chris-
tian era. In the neighbourhood of Skibbereen, on
the lands of Lurriga (ridge or shin), the property of
M'Carthy Downing, M.P.,in a large field adjoining
Clover Hill House, an opening was accidentally dis-
covered in the soil in November. 1869, which, on
being enlarged, enabled a person.to descend into an
underground chamber, about four feet beneath the
surface, of the usual oven or bee-hive shape, and
40 Slcelchca in Carboy.
hollowed out of the stiff clay subsoil. Human bones,
evidently very ancient, were discovered near the
entrance. The dimensions and appearance were the
same as those already alluded to on the island of
Sherkin. Three other chambers, taking a spiral
direction, were also entered, a narrow circular pas-
sage leading from one to the other. No. 3 was
blocked up by large stones, so firmly impacted that
further progress was completely checked. Over
head on the surface of the soil was a large horizontal
fiat stone or lintel, which seemed from its position,
overlying an opening into one of the caves, to have
answered the purpose of a rude door. With regard
to the conformation of the land where these cells
were explored, it is worthy of remark, that it appeared
to be artificial — a raised oblong mound, probably
one of the ancient tooms or tumuli, referred to in
■works on Archceology, and supposed to have been
used in pagan times as cemeteries. About a quarter
of a mile to the east on the same land is a small
ratli or fort. The site of Lurriga House, which forms
the extreme western limit of this mound, bears also
a general resemblance to an ancient rath; although
no traces of rampart or .fosse remain, the subsoil in
some places has been tunnelled out; and this confirms
the belief that such was the case, and it is not unlikely
that the entire series of cells were closely connected
toge^ier along the entire length, from one fort to
the other by a continuous passage, allowing a free
communication.
It is evident that in the country around Skibbereen,
the raths or lisses or forts, which are more or less
synonymous terms, and underground caverns, were
very abundant, as the present names would indicate :
for instance, Lissard, Lissangle, Lissalohorig, Letter,
Sketches in Carbery. ^i
formerly called Letteranlis, &c. The fort at Lake-
lands appears to have been a very important one,
and is in perfect preservation ; the concentric high
earthen ramparts, with the deep intervening fosse,
(which was capable of being artificially flooded with
water when danger threatened) are on an extensive
scale, and a surrounding circle of stunted oak trees
at present occupies the fo?se, imparting a venerable
appearance to the entire structure.
Smith refers to subterranean caverns, which were
casually discovered in his time, in the vicinity of Ross-
carbery, and which obtained so much notoriety that he
has taken the trouble of making some drawings of them
in his "History of Cork; " he has also alluded to some
very interesting ones in the parish of Aghabolotme,
near Macroom. With regard to those near Ross, whicb
were opened about the year 1760, he states: — "As
some people were lately digging for clay near the
Cathedral Church, Rosscarbery, a deep subterraneous
cavity appeared, which seemed to lead to some caverns
that were discovered about thirty years before at the
west end of the town, which were two hundred yards
from the hole now opened. By descending, several
oval chambers were discovered, being mostly twelve
feet long and six bsoad, having long narrow passages
leading from one to the other. These passages were
but eighteen inches broad and three feet high, so
that it was necessary to creep from cell to cell. At
one end of each chamber stood a broad flag-stone,
resembling the back-stone of a fire place. The roof
of each cell consisted of a Gothic arch, formed of a
stiff clay, from the centre of which to the ground it
was no more than five feet two inches high. The
walls were made of stone, smoothly plastered, and
the whole lined with soot, so that fires had been
I
42 Sketches in Carbcry.
made in them. Tlie common tradition concerning
them is that they were made by the Danes ; but the
more intelligent Irish antiquarians say they were
inhabited by the Firbolges, a people of whom there
is much mention in their MSS. Homer's description
of the Cimmerians (Odys Lib. xi.) answers very well
to the -inhabitants of these gloomy places." The
foregoing abstract has been given at full length, the
description answering, in most particulars, to that
already given of the Sherkin caves, and, besides, it
goes to prove that the belief as to these extraordinary
chambers having been places of residence was very
strong amongst antiquarians even a hundred years
ago. Extract of a letter from Peake, in the parish
of Aghahologue, and county of Cork, written by the
Eeverend Marmaduke Cox, March, 1755 (Smith) —
"Last Thursday, as some labourers were making a
ditch, to enclose a potato garden, one of them dropped
his spade into a deep hole, which obliged him to
open the earth to get out his spade, where he found
a passage into fifteen, some say seventeen, very large
subterraneous ;rooms or caverns, in one of which, by
estimation, were above five hundred skeletons, all
entire, and laid at a distance of about a' foot from
each other. All these bones were so fragile and desti-
tute of animal matter, from the length of time they
had been immured, that they crumbled into dust on
being handled, or even exposed to a current of air.
'Tis imagined there must be another passage to those
subterraneous chambers from a Danish fort, about
one hundred and fifty yards from the present entrance,
this being very narrow. The rooms are about five
feet high. There are other chambers that are not
got into, the entrance being defended by very large
stones, laid in the doors, which cannot be easily
Sketches in Carbery. 43
Removed. "Whether they were habitations of the
aboriginal Irish or contrived by the Danes the
curious may judge. There was a beautiful carved
wood comb and comb-case, but the air mouldered it
into dust. 'Tis supposed if an entrance can be made
into these chambers, defended by these stones, that
some curiosities will be found that will give further
light into this affair, for one part of these caverns
was their dwelling, and the other part the repository
of their dead."
The preceding account has been given in extenso,
as it confirms the generally accepted opinion prevail-
ing now-a-days, that, where these peculiar artificial
cells existed beneath a mound or tumulus, or under
the surface of the soil where no traces of a rampart
and fosse belonging to a lis or rath could be
detected, they were undoubtedly used in the old
pagan times, for centuries before the Christian
era, as repositories or catacombs. It seems that cre-
mation was also had recourse to, but interment was
the general custom amongst the Irish, in the days
of paganism, as the cinerary urns are of more or
less rare occurrence, discovered sometimes imbedded
in ^the soil beneath the ancient cromlechs, some of
them of very choice and finished workmanship. It
seems strange that a custom peculiar to a pre-Chris-
tiau era, and even then only partially adopted in
this country, viz. cremation, should be sought to
be re-established in a Christian land and a civilized
age, but such is the fact. " History repeats itself,"
and modern customs are more than closely allied to
those which prevailed some thousands of years ago.
Before concluding the present sketch, it may be well
to give a resume' and some general remarks on the
ancient forms of habitations, and also a brief account
4i Sketches- in Cctroei^/}.
of the peculiar Ogham inscriptions — the Chinese puzzle
of Irish antiquarians, still as involved in ohscurity
and mystery for want of a complete key to their solu-
tion, owing to the rust of ages, as the hieroglyphics
of Egypt, or the cuneiform inscriptions of Persia and
Assyria, On referring to the most ancient authori-
ties, whose works are looked on as authentic, we are
informed that the earliest habitations used by mankind
were either subterranean caverns or temporary huts
of a rude construction, composed of laths or wattles,
closely interwoven together and plastered over. In
Ireland, the latter were erected on the circular area,
enclosed within the concentric ramparts which sur-
rounded the rath.
The subterranean chambers, it must be presumed,
owing to their narrow dimensions, could hardly have
been used as regular dwelling-places ; it seems more
probable, weighing carefully the evidence we derive
from. the most trustworthy sources, that in Ireland,
which abounds so plentifully in these curious relics
of a remote age, the tumuli and barrows were
hollow beneath the surface, with the object of
using them as sepulchral repositories, as evidenced
by the frequent discovery of human remains, and of
Ogham inscriptions recording the burial of some
illustrious personage. The cavities, immediately con-
nected with the rath or fort, were intended as places
of refuge or modes of escape in times of pressing
danger, or storehouses for the reception of supplies of
food, to meet the requirements and necessities of the
inhabitants, when obliged to retreat within the
friendly protection of their fortress from an external
invasion. It is quite certain that the raths, familiarly
called " Danish Forts," were not erected by the ruth-
less Norsemen to any great extent, as a rule, as they
SI
Sketches in Curler y. 4-5
abound mostly in those inland parts of the south of
Ireland where the Danes never penetrated ; and the
most reliable Irish historians state that the Danes
seized upon the original raths, and occupied them,
as, being of a roving disposition and having a plun-
dering and destructive tendency, they in rare in-
stances took the trouble to erect dwellings for
themselves, except along the sea-shore: —
Their trade was war, with sword and flame
They swept the land where'er they came ;
Nor mercy knew, nor cared for right,
Their only law, the warrior*s might ;
No peaceful omen could they bring,
When waved aloft the raven's* wing.
•A spread raven was the Danish coat of arms
46 Sketches in Carbery.
CHAPTER IV.
Sherkin continued — Castle surrendered to Captain HarTey, AD. 1601,
after battle of Kinsale— The O'Driscolls during the 15th century
— Full account of the invasion from Waterford — Digression upon
the ancient Celtic writing known as the Ogham — Cromlechs, their
history — The various forms of habitation in ancient times — Baths,
Duns, Cahirs, Crannogues, &c.
Sherkix Castle was surrendered to Captain Harvey
on the 23rd February, 1601, by O'Driscoll. The
latter bad only just defeated the Spaniards, who re-
fused to restore the castle to him after the battle of
Kinsale. A commission was granted to Captain
Harvey by the Lord Deputy Mountjoy for the
government of Carbery. Smith informs us that the
barony of Carbery gave title to the family of Vaughan,
one of whom was made Earl of Carbery by King
Charles I. The last earl died in 1712 — aged 74.
The earldom then became extinct, there being no
male heirs, and his daughter and sole heiress, the
Lady Anne Vaughan, was married to the Duke of
Bolton. The first baron holding the present title
was created Baron of Carbery, May 9th, 1715, on
the visit of George I. The Algerines, who sacked
Baltimore on the 20th June, 1631, did not interfere
with Sherkin or its inhabitants ; most probably they,
were in too great a hurry to escape with their ill-
gotten booty. A regular fortification was erected
on Shorkin, which was garrisoned in Queen Anne's
time; near it were barracks, nearly all traces of
Sketches in Car ben/. 47
which have disappeared, but at low water oue or
two of the guns which formerly defended the for-
tress can be observed lying underneath the water
near the beach. About a hundred years ago, a
good house existed within the walls of the fort, which
was occupied by Captain Lionel Becher.
Innisherkin was destined to undergo, notwith-
standing its remote position, the terrors of a hostile
invasion. At various periods during the 15th cen-
tury, the O'Driscolls, who were of a roving disposi-
tion, had sailed round to "Waterford, and allied
themselves with the Powers of that county in attacks
upon the city with the object of plunder — the fortune
of war sometimes being favourable, and at other
times adverse to their cause. " In the year 1450,
stat. 28, Hen. IV., No. 10, it was enacted, as divers
of the King's subjects had been slain by Fineen
O'Hedriescoll, chieftain of the nation, that no person
of the ports of "Waterford, "Wexford, &c, shall go
within the country of the said O'Hedriescoll, under
heavy penalties of forfeiture," &c. Matters readied a
climax in the year 1537, owing to the following
occurrence : —
" Ou the 20th February, 1537, four ships from
Lisbon, with a cargo of wine on board, consigned to
the Waterford merchants, were driven by stress of
weather to Cape Clear, Baltimore, and the Old Head
of Kinsale. One of the ships, the " Santa Maria De
Soci," laden with 100 tuns of wine, took refuge in a
bay near the entrance of Baltimore harbour, was
boarded by Conoghar O'Driseoll, chieftain of Sherkin,
and his sons, and piloted safely into Baltimore har-
bour, the stipulated reward for the pilotage being
three pipes of wine." Such is the account given and
recorded by Smith and others, who add that, the
43 Sketches in Carlcry.
vintage was so enticing and stimulating in its nature,
that it led to a flagrant breach of trust on the part
of the local magnates, for they are said to have
invited the merchants and officers to an entertain-
ment in Baltimore Castle, seized on their persons,
loaded them with manacles, and afterwards attacked
the ship in their galleys, and took possession of the
wine, which was freely distributed amongst all their
neighbours.
It is more than probable that a spirit of reprisal
upon the citizens of Waterford — with whom it seems
that a sort of chronic petty warfare had been estab-
lished — was more influential in leading them into
such a decided breach of the peace than the actual
and deliberate desire of plundering a solitary ship ;
however, that cause may have had its influence too,
as, during the period we allude to, the rights of
property, and the legal claims of individuals to the
fruits of the soil and their industry and enterprise
were not as jealously guarded by Parliamentary
statutes as they are at the present day. When news
arrived in Waterford of the ship's seizure by O'Dris-
coll, an armed expedition was fitted out, under the
command of Captain Dobbyn, and reached Baltimore
on the 5th March. As they boarded the " St. Maria"
on one side, O'Driscoll's sons and his followers took
flight, and escaped at the other side. Dobbyn im-
mediately set the crew at liberty, and weighing
anchor, proceeded back to Waterford. Of the 100
tuns of wine, twenty-five only remained unconsumed.
On the 27th of same month, a more formidable ex-
pedition of 400 men, thoroughly equipped for action,
set sail from Waterford in two large vessels, and the
great galley of the city, under command of Bailiff
Woodlock and Captains Dobbyn, Wood!ock, Walsh,
Sketches in Carhcry. 49
mid Butler. They anchored off Duneloug Castle
(Sherkin) near the Abbey, and besieged and captured
the castle, which the} r held for five days. They
overran the island with fire and sword, destroyed all
the villages, and almost reduced to ruins the Fran-
ciscan Abbey, and a large mill which adjoined that
building. The fortress of Dunelong (the ship's castle),
which was then a very strong and extensive structure,
and surrounded by high imposing walls and barbi-
cans enclosing a goodly bawn, the enclosure where
the outer buildings were usually erected, was nearly
levelled to the ground. Large stores of malt, barlev,
and salt were taken possession of, and Fineen's chief
galley of thirty oars, with about eighty pinnaces.
Forty of the latter were burnt, and the remainder,
with the great galley, were taken back to Waterford
as trophies of war. The invading troops from "Water-
ford were not satisfied, however, with the destruction
of property in Sherkin. They also landed on some
of the neighbouring islands, which they treated in a
similar manner, and to wind up the entire programme,
they burnt and destroyed the town of Baltimore,
establishing the precedent for the Algerine, and
broke down Teigh O'Driscoll's goodly castle and
baun (probably Dunashad).
Within the antriles or crypts of the ancient raths,
in the subterranean chambers of the barrows or arti-
ficial tumuli, and inscribed on the edges of those
peculiar pillar stones (gallauns) and cromlechs
(ancient tombs), antiquarians have discovered occa-
sionally traces of the Ogham ("oum") characters,
supposed to have been the occult mode of writing
known to the Druids, and the knowledge of which
mysterious possession was carefully concealed from
the mass of the people. It is believed that the art
5
50
Sketches 'in Carbcri)-.
of writing in the Ogham language was originally, in
all probability, introduced by the Milesians or Scotic
colonies, who reached Ireland from Gallicia, in the
north of Spain (about 1308, A. C. — according to Cor-
rnac MacCuillenan, " The Book of Conquests," and
"The Polychronicon"), after migrating to the latter
place from Asia Minor.
Many suppose that it originated with the Tuatha
de Danaans, who colonized Ireland some centuries
before tlie Milesians. The fact of their Oriental
origin, and the close affinity prevailing between the
relics of the Ogham and the ancient inscriptions of
•Phoenicia and Persia, would strengthen our belief
that the Druids accprired their knowledge of writing
in secret characters from the East, the cradle of the
arts and sciences, and the main source from which
the stream of early colonization flowed towards the
shores of Ireland.- The date of its first adoption
must have been extremely remote, and goes far to
justify the assertions of many learned philologists
that the use of symbolic letters was known to the
Druids in Ireland for a considerable time before they
were introduced into the other countries of Western
Europe. It is well-known that the Phoenicians
carried on an extensive trade, and had frequent
intercourse with the southern and south-western
coasts of Ireland, and it is significant that the
relics of the Ogham inscriptions should be almost
exclusively confined to that section of Ireland. We
know that Cadmus, king of Phoenicia, 1490 years
before the Christian Era, was the first to intro-
duce the art of letters into Greece, and the same
number, viz., 16 letters, the original Cadmeian
jvmber, was subsequently adopted in the Irish
■• lphabet.
Sketches m Carle?}}. 51
The Ogham* writing is classed under the head of
cryptographic or stenographic, and, as far as the in-
scriptions can be deciphered at the j^resent, it appears
they were chiefly used to commemorate the burials
of illustrious persons, and chronicle their feats of
war, or their deeds of goodness, as well as the peculiar
circumstances of their death. The very sites on
which they are discovered corroborate this opinion,
as beneath the barrows, pillar-stones, and cromlechs,
we frequently discover the cinerary urns and mortal
remains of those who lived in the remote pre-Christian
times. Wright says " That it is, indeed, most probable
that all the Druidical monuments, circles, cromlechs,
&c, whatever other uses they may have served, such,
I dare say, as important boundaries or places of
solemn assembly, were originally connected with
interment."
Moore, in his "History of Ireland," introduces the
following interesting passage, which enlightens us
on the subject of the Ogham. Quoting from the
tale of the children of Usneach, " One of the Three
Tragic Stories of Erin," in which the interment of
the young lovers is thus pathetically represented:
"After this song Deirdie flung herself upon Naisi,
in the grave, and died forthwith, and stones were
laid over their monumental heap; their Ogham name
was inscribed, and their dirge of lamentation was
sung." The same celebrated writer, of whom we
might well say, " Nil tetigit quod nan omavit," in
his beautifully classic and poetic style, introduces the
following eloquent passage, when describing the an-
tiquity of the Irish language ("History of Ireland):"
" Abundant and various as are the monuments to
* Ogham (Collins). " 0" offspring of, and " cuaim" wisdom.
a*
52
Sketches in Carberj/.
which Ireland can point as mule evidences of her
antiquity, she hoasts a yet more striking proof in
the living language of her people, in that most
genuine, if not only, existing dialect of the oldest of
all European, tongues — the tongue which, whatever
name it may he called by, according to the various
and vague theories respecting it— whether Japethan,
Cimmerian, Pelasgic, or Celtic, is accounted most
generally to have been the earliest brought from the
East by the Noachidae, and, accordingly, to have
been the vehicle of the first knowledge that dawned
upon Europe. In the still written and spoken dialect
of this primaeval language, we possess a monument
of the highest antiquity of the people to whom it
belongs, which no cavil can reach nor any doubts
disturb."
Every day the accumulating knowledge of ancient
history as regards Ireland, is adding additional
proofs that a comparatively high state of civilization
prevailed in remote times. Ptolemy, the celebrated
geographer, who flourished in the 3rd century, was
familiar, by repute, with the coast of Ireland, and
even mapped out the most remarkable promontories
and estuaries ; as, for instance, the Mizen Head,
which he called {Notium Promontorium), and the
Kenmare Piver, &c. He also enumerated a number
of Irish cities, to which he gives the title of illustrious
or distinguished, whilst in Germany, about the same
period, as we learn from Tacitus, no other habitations
were known than detached huts and caves. We can,
accordingly, realize the truth of the titles— Ogygia
(the Ancient Isle), Ierne (the Sacred Isle), and in the
early period of the Christian era, the name of Insula
Sanctorum ct Doctorum applied by various authors,
to the Emerald Isle. The correct reading of the
Sketches in Curler ij. 53
Ogham inscriptions would certainly add much, to
our information regarding pagan times, but so con-
flicting have been occasionally the different versions
by acknowledged authorities, that we feel inclined
to hesitate before we accede our credence to all the
theories enunciated, which remind us forcibly at
times of Professors Huxley and Tyndall in then-
erratic evolutions, and their fanciful flights to the
philosophic regions of Laputa after primordial orga-
nisms, microscopic dust, and the ultimate atoms of
molecular matter.
The popular idea among the peasantry regarding
the pillar-stones and cromlechs, althoxigh of a
ludicrous character, still shows respect for their anti-
quity — fully believing that they were finger-stones
nsed by Finn MacCumhaill, and the other giants of
the past,, when they wanted to amuse their leisure
hours.
I have already referred to the quaint and humorous
ideas entertained at one time by the peasantry re-
garding the origin of the Druidical antiquities — the
belief that prevails as to the gallauns or pillar-stones
having been used as finger-stones by the giants of
old. Near the banks of the river lien, on the lands
of Lissangle, is a remarkable pillar-stone, and an ad-
joining cromlech (tomb), the upper stone of which
is of a globular form ; and the current belief in the
neighbourhood is that the upright pillar-stone was
Finn MacCumhaill's hurly, and the round reclining
one the ball with which he used to play the national
game (hurly), which promises' soon to become as
fully a traditionary relic of the past as the adven-
tures and exploits of Finn MacCumhaill or Labraid
Linseach Great giants and men of here llean
strength they must have been in those remote ages.
■
54 Sketches in Carle///.
How far surpassing their diminutive descendants of
the present day, "who do not even equal in height
the venerable pillar-stones which the giants could
not only carry in their hands, hut even wield between
their fingers !
For full information regarding the Ogham inscrip-
tions, we must refer our readers to the writings of
Samuel Ferguson, and Dr. Graves, Bishop of Lime-
rick ; and also of Messrs. Abell, Windele, Brash, and
Rev. M. Horgan, all of the county Cork, who have by
their laborious and learned researches developed the
subject fully, and given a valuable amount of infor-
mation regarding the construction and proper reading
of those strange hierograms, which reveal in some
degree the hidden sources of the history of former
times. According to Windele, there exist but seven-
teen cromlechs in the county of Cork as yet dis-
covered ; this being so, West Carbery can make a
strong presentment in priority claims, as within that
barony the following can be named, which amount
to nearly half the entire number, viz. : — Altoir, near
Tourmore ; another on the road to Four-Mile- Water,
Castlehaven ; one near Bosscarbery, Coomattollin, in
parish of Drinagh; Kilnegross (near Clonakilty), and
Baltimore, though the last, the most important. We
might also add the cromlech at Lisangle.
The word " cromlech," when translated, means the
sloping stone, or stone of Crom, wl>o was the chief
divinity of Pagan times; and on this stone, which
formed the Druidical altar, the religious rites of the
Pagans were celebrated, and the accompanying sacri-
fices were offered, either of human victims, or of sheep
and cattle ; the latter custom was peculiar to the
Irish Druids, who, it seems, from all accounts, were
averse to huruan sacrifices. They -were also used as
i
I
Sketches in Carbery. 55
pla33S "of interment. Frequently, whilst digging
beneath the enclosed area, cinerary urns and human
bones belonging to a distant age have been discovered
by the explorers. The ancient habitations and for-
tresses were known under various names besides the
rath or lis, already described, and within whose
circular ramparts wooden houses used to be erected,
where the inhabitants resided, and which, being of
a frail nature, could not last for any time ; accord-
ingly we find no traces of them at the present day.
The other forms of habitations and fortresses were
known as duns, cahirs, caseals, aileachs, cran-
nogues, &c, and were all circular in shape, and con-
tinued to be raised, and occupied as dwellings and
fortresses as late as the end of the l'Jth century,
when they were finally abandoned and superseded
by the massive quadrangular caisleans or castles,
with their frowning parapets nnd rough ponderous-
looking side walls, which still outlive the storm,
though fast tottering to decay. It is conjectured
that the Firbolgs, the aboriginal race, who are said
to have come originally from Belgium, and were so
called from the bolag or leathern bag they were
accustomed to carry over their shoulders, like a
modern pedlar, were the constructors of the subter-
ranean caverns, to which allusion has been already
made If they really occupied the caverns as dwel-
ling places, they must have been men of very small
stature. Relics of stone implements and weapons,
and layers of soot have been frequently discovered
within these gloomy, uncomfortable abodes; and
ancient historical records inform us that the primi-
tive habitations of mankind consisted of rude, under-
ground chambers— Homer and Virgil, amongst other
writers, mention this fact.
56 Sketches in Carbery.
The date of their occupation must have been so
■very remote, that our imperfect knowledge on this
subject is not to be wondered at. The Dun, which
means a stronghold or citadel, was occupied by the
kings and chieftains, and was of grander and more
imposing appearance than the Rath or Lis, which
was inhabited by the population at large. The Dun
had a prominent mound in the centre, and was sur-
rounded by three earthen ramparts. The Eath
had usually only two ramparts, while the tumulus
had but one. Upon the site of these ancient Duns,
many castles were subsequently erected, the former
name being in part retained, and the locality deriving
its name from this circumstance, as, for instance,
Dunmore, Dundeide, Dooneen, Dunelong (ship
i;astle). Dun-a-sead (castle of the jewels), now Balti-
more, &c.
The circular stone fortresses were named cahirs
and caiseals. They were constructed principally in
places where large boulders of stone projected through
the soil, so as to form rocky eminences, the masonry was
styled Cyclopean, and they were surrounded by a cir-
cular enclosure of large rugged unhewn stones, the
temporary buildings being raised in the enclosed area.
The parish of Cahara derives its name from having
abounded formerly in these cahirs or stone forts,
and the Rock of Cashel from having been the site of
a eaiseal in the olden times. Dr. Joyce, in his in-
teresting and original work, alludes to the strong
objections which has always prevailed among the
peasantry, against the tilling or occupying of those
ancient places, no matter whether the remains of
former human abodes, or the monumental mounds of
a bye-gone age. He says — " Long after the lisses
and raths had been abandoned as dwellings, many
Sketches in Carbenj. 57
of them were turned to different uses, and we see
some of the high duns and mounds crowned with
modern buildings, such as Drogheda, Naas, and
Castletown, near Dundalk. The peasantry have
always felt the greatest reluctance to putting them
under tillage, and in every part of Ireland you will
hear stories of the calamities that befell the families
of the foolhardy farmers who outraged the fairies'
dwellings by removing the earth or tilling the en-
closure."
This reluctance had its origin, not alone from the
belief that the precincts were haunted by the pookas,
leprecauns, and sheevras, who might resent, in a mys-
terious manner, any rude intrusion on their venerable
domains, but also from the fact of their having been,
according to tradition, used as cemeteries in a distant
age, and the natural disinclination and instinctive
dislike to disturb the remains of the departed through
worldly motives. Amongst the many writers of the
present century who have contributed most to the
knowledge of Irish archaeology, language, and
general history, the names of Petrie, O'Curry, and
O'Donovan are most prominent. Their labours have
been supplemented by a host of other writers, and
by their united efforts, deep research, and untirino-
energy in the field of literature, many important
facts have been brought to light, which were previously
buried in darkness and oblivion, and an interest
created amongst the general public regarding the
remarkable antiquities and valuable records of Ire-
land's early history and ancient fame.
A complete and wonderful change has been effected
during the last half-century ia all the social habits
and customs of the people. The duellings, fox-
huntings, and cock-fightings of the good old times,
58 Sketches in Curler y.
the patterns and hurlings, the rollicking fun and
humour, the merry-makings at May, the Christmas
and Easter games and festivities, the fairy legends,
the stories of the Seanachies, and the lilts of the
pipers, have passed off the scene with the last gene-
ration, and will, prohahly, only exist in the remem-
brance of the nest. Many of them, even now, merely
flit across our thoughts, and haunt our memories
like shadows of the past. Trie present go-ahead,
mechanical, and money-making age cannot afford,
or is disinclined, to waste much time on sentiment,
romance, or sportive pastimes; hut "such is life," as
Mr. Billings sagely remarks.
Sir "William Wilde, in his charming little work
on "Irish Popular Superstitions," written in 1849,
remarks : — " The wild strain of aerial music which
floated round the ancient raths, and sung the matin
and vespers of the shepherd hoy are heard no more, and
the romance of elfin life is no longer recited to amuse
or warn the rising peasant generation. To the log-
house, hy the broad waters of the Ohio and Missis-
sippi ; to the wild mountain, Australian prairie, or
even to the goldeu soil of California, the emigrant
has carried the fairy lore of the mother country ; so
that to the charming descriptions of our country-
woman, Mrs. Hall — to the traits and stories of Wil-
liam Carleton, the happy illustration of Irish manners
hy Banim and Gerald Griffin, the pencillings of
Lady Chatterton, or the graphic sketches of Caesar
Otway and v Samuel Lover, hut, above all, to the
Munster legends embalmed by Croiton Croker— must
the inquirer after fairy lore refer, who would seek
for information on subjects in Ireland twenty years
to come."
And now, having wandered so far from Carbery's
k
Sketches in Carbery. 59
Hundred Isles, exploring the underground dwellings
of the Firbolgs, the raths and duns of the ancient
chieftains, and examining into their history in a
very superficial manner ; it is time* at length to re-
turn to the subject of our discourse, and carry out
the original programme. It is necessary, in order
to elucidate the various topics of interest which may
start up as we travel along, to branch off at times,
and dilate somewhat on collateral matters, which
pertain more or less to the "sketches," and which
latter, as the name denotes, are necessarily of a
rambling and unrestricted character. So now we
will bid a last adieu to Sherkin, and crossing the
stormy waters of the Gascon ane Sound, land on Cape
Clear, and study some of the interesting features,
historic and otherwise, connected with that island.
Cape Clear, the Insula Sancta Clarae of a former
period, is the most remarkable island on the whole
Irish coast, and the most prominent landmark of
"Western Europe for the mariner, as he steers his
course to and fro across the wide expanse of that
ocean which rolls in mighty and majestic waves be-
tween the two hemispheres, and which is familiarly
known, in the peculiar parlance of Brother Jonathan
at the present time, as "The Great American Ferry."
FT
GO Sketches in Ccirbery,
CHAPTER Y.
Cape Clear (Insula Sanctae Clarae)— The Gasconane Sound — Captain
Boston's daring swim through the Gasconane (1875) from the
American packet — Lands at Trafraska Bay, near Baltimore —
General view of the island, size, population, scenery — Carbery's
Hundred Isles surround us — Curious separation of Inisfadda
(Long Island near Skull) into three distinct portions by a thunder-
storm in the 9th century— Sherkin and Cape Clear most probably
united to the mainland as a promontory in remote ages — The
Fisheries of Cape, climate, longevity, great physical strength and
egdurance of the inhabitants — Smith and Lewis's favourable opinion
of them— Distress in Cape during 1862 — Father Leader's noble
exertions on behalf of the poor people — Eeview of Father
O'Eourke's work on the Irish Famine of 1847 — Benevolence of
Baroness Burdett Coutts towards the islanders.
Sherkin and Cape Clear are divided by a strait
about two miles wide. A short distance from the
southern extremity of Sherkin a rocky islet projects
above the water, styled Carrigmore ; between both
is the Eastern Sound, in which there are eighteen
fathoms of water. Ships seldom venture to steer
through the channel owing to the difficulty, especially
with a south-east wind, of weathering in safety Slea-
more Point; however during the terrible gale, amount-
ing almost to a hurricane, which occurred on the 11th
Eebruary, 1874, a Greek -barque, driven near the
shore by stress of weather, dashed at headlong speed
through this narrow and dangerous passage, and, ■
after a hair-breadth escape from total destruction,
reached the friendly anchorage of Whitehall Sound
in safety.
Sketches in Carboy. 61
About two-thirds across the strait is the well-
known Graseonane Rock, between which and Carrig-
more is the Middle Sound, and between the Graseonane
and Cape Clear is the Graseonane Sound, through
which coasting vessels are sometimes piloted, though
as a rule they avoid this dangerous place, and keep
well to the south of the Fastnett. In both channels
there are twenty fathoms of water. The name of
the Graseonane is familiar to us with stormy weather
and agitated waves; the very translation of the name
clearly indicates this fact, as it means petulant or
saucy. In the neighbourhood of the rock, which is
nearly covered at all times by water, the counter
currents, and the rapid sweeping tide rushing fiercely
through a narrow channel, and the strong gales,
which blow often in opposition to the direction of
the tidal waters, combine to stir up an angry sea
with crested billows and heavy swells, where few
boats or hookers could row or sail with any safety.
A short time ago the celebrated Captain Paul Boy ton,
the American,whose daring feats with the life apparatus
have been chronicled in all the daily papers, equipped
in his extraordinary costume, dufing a stormy night,
swam ashore from one of the American mail packets,
close to the Gasconane, a distance of about twenty
miles, and landed safely at Trafraska bay, in the
neighbourhood of Baltimore. This is one of the
most remarkable feats of personal daring achieved
during the present century ; the sea running moun-
tains high at the time, and so rough that no boat
could possibly escape being swamped; however the
gallant captain, with "his boat upon his back, and
paddling his own canoe," as he quaintly and forcibly
described his own position, when about six miles off
the Fastnett, launched himself into the treacherous
T
62 ohe/r},c$ In Carberi/i
deep, and, after seven hours' most adventurous and
sensational paddling, not only reached terra-firma r
hut lived to have his name recorded amongst the
wonderful men of the age.
Having crossed the Gxasconane, we can land at
Cape Clear, either at the east end, which is most
convenient in fine weather, or at the north or south
harbour, according to the state of the wind. Many
points of interest immediately engage our attention.
The scenery of the island, the beautiful sea views,
the physique, customs, and manners of the natives,
and their former history, the account of the celebrated
St. Kieran, and the ancient relics which still present
themselves so prominently before us, all these, col-
lectively and individually, are worthy of record and
entitled to a place in our narrative.
Cape Clear, the Iiisu 'la So net a Clara of Ecclesiastical
Records, and also styled by Keating, and in old Irish
MSS., Inis Damhhj, has always been regarded, as its
name would denote, one of the most remarkable
islands upon the whole Irish coast. Its importance, in
a geographical point of view, is evident from the fact
that in all the large maps of the world, where Ireland
appears as a comparatively small spot, the three
prominent points of the island named are Dublin,
the Shannon, and Cape Clear. It runs in a direction
nearly east and west about three miles, and is a mile
and a half in breadth at the widest part. Between
the north and soutli harbours, however, a very narrow
neck of land intervenes, and, at a distance, it would
almost seem as if there were two distinct islands
separated by a narrow strait. There are 17 town-
lands and 1400 acres, of which from two to three
hundred are arable, the remainder being devoted to
pasture. The soil is shallow, and on the south side
Sketches in Carucry. 63
of the island, -which is exposed to the Atlantic gales,
the cliffs attain their highest altitude, and the surface
here is rocky and unproductive. Previous to the
year 1848 the island was divided into 137 small
farms of five acres each. The population was formerly
large, but has sensibly decreased, as is evident from
the fact, that a century ago, according to Smith,
there were up to 2,000 inhabitants. The census of
1831, according to Lewis, showed about the same
number. Living exclusively to themselves, and
having little intercourse with the mainland, it seems
strange, however, that the population should not
have increased to such an extent as to necessitate
emigration from the island, especially the climate
being so healthy. We must leave the explanation
of this fact to ethnologists and political economists.
Since the famine years a marked decrease in the
population has occurred. The north side of the
island, which looks inland, slopes somewhat gradually
towards the sea. As we ramble along, observing the
various points of interest, we obtain some fine views
of the adjoining coast. The hundred isles of Carbery
are seen, the entire cluster dotting the surface of
Koaring Water Bay (Lough Trasnagh), a very tur-
bulent expanse of water, too, during the prevalence
of a south-east or southerly gale. The names of the
islands are familiar to our readers, such as the
Skeames, (St. Keani's), Hare Island, (Inish O'Dris-
coll), the Three Calves, so called on the lucus a non-
lueendo principle, because they raise no cattle there,
whilst there are no hares on Hare Island. M'Carthy 's
Island, in the distance, celebrated for a peculiar growth
of grass, which, owing to some special virtue in the
soil, and the enriching powers of the salt water sprav,
is said to be almost capable of curing and fattening
§4 Sketches in C<trLcr\j.
a broken winded coach-horse. Adjoining the coast
in the neighbourhood of Skull, we observe Horse
Island, Castle Island, and Long Island, in the same
line and separated from each other bj a narrow
interval.
Smith, in his " History of Cork," when describing
the remarkable events which have occurred from time
to time, gives us the following strange account con-
nected with these three islands : — " In the latter end of
March, A. D. 830, Hugh Domdighe, being monarch
of Ireland, there happened such terrible shocks of
thunder and lightning, that above 1,000 persons
were destroyed by it between Corca Bascoine (a part
of this country then so called) and the sea-side. At
the same time the sea broke through the bank? in a
most violent manner, and overflowed a considerable
tract of land. The island, then called Innisfadda
(Long Island), on the west coast of this county
(Keating p. 52, also an old Irish MS.), was forced
asunder, and divided into three parts. This island
lies contiguous to two others — namely, Horse Island
and Castle Island, which, lying in a range and being
low ground, might have been very probably then"
rent by the ocean."
Suchjstrange natural phenomena, as the separation
of portions of the mainland, which then become
islands, by the action of the waves, and the gradual
or sudden elevation and depression of the bed of the
sea, by the agency of subterranean causes, are re-
corded in most works on physical geography. Ac-
cording to tradition, the present channel between
the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth, where line of
battle ships can at present pass in safety, was in re-
mote times so shallow as to allow of being safely
forded at low tide. The Scilly islands, off Cornwall,
Sketches in Garbery. 65
when known to the Phoenicians under the name of
the Cassiterides (tin islands), were almost entirely
united. In the Welsh Triads an account is given
of the separation of Anglesea from the mainland by
natural causes. It is not improbable, reasoning from
analogy, and taking into account the peculiar con-
formation of Sherkin and Cape Clear, the great ele-
vation of the land, the similar direction of the coast
line, and the very narrow intervals which separate
them. from, each other, and the mainland, that they
may have originally projected into the sea as an un-
broken promontory, in the same manner as the Mizen"
Head, and been gradually converted into islands
by .the constant action of the waves, or some;
violent convulsion of nature.* In ancient manu-
scripts it is a noteworthy fact that Cape Clear is
always referred to as a promontory of Corca
Laidhe.
The ele/ated portions of Cape Clear are of the
schistose or slate formation (Cambrian system). In
fact throughout the entire of Carbery such is the
character of the geological strata. On the lower
ground, near the sea-shore, good freestone abounds,
which was much used at one time in ornamental
building. . Between south harbour and the western
extremity of the island the scenery is very wild and
romantic, and the cliffs steep and inaccessible, pre-
senting a bold front to the furies of the wild Atlantic,
which, in the winter months, is often lashed into
mountain waves by the violent storms, which are
prevalent at such periods on the exposed part of the
*The theory brought forward heve has been dwelt uron, and
argued as a very probable occurrence, in the article on Geology by
Mr. Close, M. B. I. A., in Miss Cusack's recent work, "History of
the County of Cork."
6
66 Sketches in Carhery.
coast. And in this we observe one of those wonder-
ful and beautiful provisions of nature : for here,
where the waves roll in from the ocean in such,
colossal proportions, and beat with redoubled force
and fiercest energy against the shore, the rugged
cliffs tower high aloft, and prove an effectual barrier
against the encroachment of the sea, which would
otherwise sweep unrestrained over the island, and
destroy nearly all traces of animal and vegetable
existence.
North Harbour or Tra-Kieran, its more ancient
name, will first engage our attention. It faces
Roaring Water Bay, and is a small open space of
water, sheltered well on the land side from the
east by high cliffs, which protect it effectually from
the S. E. wind. Here upon the beach we observe
the boats and hookers of the islanders hauled up
beyond the reach of the tide. There is an inner
basin, which has been enclosed by a pier, but as the
water is very shoal in this little basin, only three or
four feet at low tide, the hookers and pilot boats
cannot be moored there with any safety. Accord-
ingly the fishermen are compelled during the winter
rfbnths, whilst the fishing operations are suspended,
either to sink their craft, or haul them high up on
the beach. This is a work of great labour, and one
also attended with much inconvenience, difficulty,
and loss of time, requiring the work of many hands
for its accomplishment.
Within the last year, Mr. Blake, Commissioner
of Fisheries, visited Cape Clear to investigate the
state of the fisheries, and to determine the necessity
of deepening the inner basin ; and it is very probable
that in a short time the necessary steps will be taken
to increase the depth of water, so as to allow of small
Sketches in Garhery. 67
Vessels Healing there in safety. How great a boon
this would prove to the islanders can he well imagined ;
For when returning from their fishing expeditions,
instead of being compelled to seek the shelter during
stormy weather of the neighbouring harbours along
the main shore, a proceeding attended with consider-
able loss of time and money, they would be in future
able to steer at once towards the island, and anchor
with safety in the immediate vicinity of their own
homes. It is needless to dwell, therefore, on the
wonderfully good effects which would result ; and who
is there that does not sympathise with, and take an
interest in the welfare of these industrious and brave
hardy " toilers of the deep," who, tossed about in all
weathers upon the wild waters far out to sea, exposed
to cold and hardship, and often even to great danger
of death, struggle manfully against all odds to sup-
port themselves, and their numerous families, depen-
dent on them for their very existence.
The cause of the islanders has been ably advocated
by the BefT D. M'Cartie, C. C, and J. O'Leary, C. C,
and it is chiefly owing to their philanthropic and praise-
worthy exertions that the present movement has been
originated, one which, if successful, as it promises to
be, will confer incalculable advantages on the inhabi-
tants of Cape Clear. "We have been informed, on
good authority, that the landlord, Sir Henry W.
Becher, has kindly volunteered to pay the local con-
tribution himself which is required to supplement
the Government allowance from the Board of Works
in order to complete this most useful project, so that
the people of Cape will not be obliged to defray any
of the expenses. As the prosperity and comfort of
the islanders depend almost entirely on the success
of the fisheries, from which they derive their chief
6*
£)8 Sketches in Oarberj/.
support, it is to be hoped that this indispensable
measure, the deepening of the inner basin in North
Harbour, will be soon accomplished ; by such means
this important branch of industry would revive
again, and emerge rapidly from its present stagnant
condition. We can well imagine its depressed state
and decadence at Cape (the same remark applies, in
a great measure, to all the coast fisheries), when we
consider that, in former years, about a quarter of a
century ago, eighteen island hookers were daily
employed at fishing, the number is now reduced to
five or six.
In ancient times, when Spain was more flourish-
ing than she is at present, the Spanish fishermen
frequented the vicinity of Cape and Baltimore in
great numbers, and used to reside upon the island
occasionally. A neighbouring portion of the main-
land, near Baltimore, owing to this circumstance,
still retains the name of Spain, During the last
century the I^psale fishermen also were in the habit
of building huts in Cape, during the fishing season,
where they cured the fish. During the summer
months the native fishermen man their hookers and
boats, and -nearly all the adult population weigh
anchor every Monday or Tuesday morning, and
proceed far out to sea— the hookers steering for the
Durseys, and the open boats for the neighbourhood
of the Fastnett. Sometimes, in pursuit of their
calling, they go thirty leagues off the land; they
remain out during the week, and return on Friday
or Saturday with their cargoes of hake, ling, cod-
fish, congers, and other deep sea-fish on board, then
they anchor near St. Kieran's strand, and soon the
beach is covered with the captured spoil of the finny
tribe.
Sketches in Carbery. 69
The scene which ensues is most interesting and
exciting ; all the female population rush to the beach,
attended by the " gorsoons," and soon the fish are
packed in baskets, which they swing upon their
shoulders with the greatest ease, and carry away up
the steep and slippery pathways of the island. The
women are engaged then in curing the fish, a process
which is accomplished with great skill ; and the men
rest for a couple of days to recruit themselves for
further expeditions out to sea. As the agricultural
produce of the island is comparatively small, chiefly
oats and potatoes, and as all fuel must be brought
from the mainland, there being no trees or turf on
the soil, it is evident that not alone their welfare
but also their principal means of procuring a liveli-
hood depend on the success of the fisheries. The
chief time of the year for disposing of the cured fish
is at Christmas, when very large quantities- are sold,
especially in the town o£ Skibbereen.
Owing to the active and industrious life which the
Capers lead, their steady and temperate habits,
the sanitary influence of a mild and wholesome
climate, and an almost constant residence on the
ocean wave, they are exceptionally free from disease,
and seldom die except from the effects of old age. In
the summer months the air is balmy and refreshing,
largely impregnated with the ozone, which has such
a purifying influence on the atmosphere. We may
therefore consider Cape at this season as a regular
sanatorium. We may safely say that it should be
therefore rightly outside the pale of the Sanitary
Act. Some of the inhabitants attain to a very old
age ; they are generally of large stature, robust,
capable of enduring great fatigue, and very mus-
cular and strong ; they certainly as a rule ai§
S ketches in Carbery.
built in a larger mould than the inhabitants of the
mainland.
Formerly one or two families in the island
(O'Driscolls) were celebrated for their gigantic
stature, one celebrated specimen in particular, wbo
flourished about a hundred years ago, named Cruathir
(Cornelius) O'Cadogan, sobriquet for O'Driscoll.
He was a man of immense proportions, and his cele-
brated feats of strength are still recited at times upon
the island. "We will refer to this giant again in
connection with Tra-Kieran. Dr. Smith, who visited '
Cape, a little over a century ago, pays a very high
compliment to the Capers. He says : " The natives
pay their reut by fish ; when a bad season comes they
fall in arrears, but very honestly clear them off when
fish returns ; they are strong and healthy, die chiefly
of old age, owing to temperate habits ; brandy drink-
ing being the only debauch (I suppose he must mean
when a stray keg of brandy drifts in from a wreck
near the island, a rare event) ; they are kind to each
other, courteous to strangers, and excellent pilots."
Lewis remarks that " the men are expert and reso-
lute seamen, and the best pilots on the coast ; they
are remarkable for discerning land at a distance in
snowy or foggy weather, possess an uncommon
sagacity in discovering the approach of bad weather,
and are exceedingly skilful in the management of
their vessels."
At the eastern end of Cape Clear there is a shelv-
ing strand called File-Cooagh,* which, from being
the most adjacent point of debarkation from the
mainland, has been used by the inhabitants as a
convenient site where they may haul up their boats.
* The Cliff of the Cuckoo.
Sketches in Citrbery. 71
A deep cutting has been made in the side of the cliff,
near the strand, and up this precipitous incline the
stalwart boatmen pull their heavy six-oared boats,
displaying wonderful strength in its accomplishment.
Occasionally, however, during very heavy weather,
the sea has on one or two occasions encroached, and
swept away some of the boats. Here the post-boat,
presented by Sir Robert Peel, used to land, but, un-
fortunately, during a severe gale some years ago,
it was washed away, and since that time its place
has not been supplied, a cause of great inconvenience
in the postal arrangements of the island. By means
of some additional labour, and with very little cost,
it would be possible to complete the useful work
begun, but not accomplished, of lowering the level
and increasing the breadth of the present cutting,
which would then be a convenient and safe dry-
dock for the open boats, so indispensable to the
islanders.
My allusion to the post-boat, called after Lady
Peel, awakes at once the memory of the name of the
respected and much lamented pastor, whose untiring
energies and deep devotion to the interests of the
inhabitants of Cape Clear, during a most eventful
period in the history of that island, ought to be re-
corded with honourable and well-deserved mention.
In the year 1862, Cape Clear suffered severely from
destitution . Failure in the potato crop, a bad harvest,
a scarcity of fish, and a general depression of trade
throughout the country — all combined to weigh
heavily upon the poor fishermen, and in spite of
their best efforts to struggle against the tide of ad-
versity, they would have been borne down, and
swamped by the accumulation of misfortune and
misery which threatened them ? and which they were
72
Sketches in Carbery.
>
quite unable, under the circumstances, to contend
against.
Happily for themselves, at this desperate crisis,
they had as their parish-priest the late Rev.
H. Leader, a gentleman whose generous and
noble exertions in the cause of suffering huma-
nity were rewarded in a great measure by suc-
cess, and whose kind philanthropy and active
advocacy of their cause helped to ward off famine,
misery, and death from many a homestead, which
would otherwise be desolate and deserted. Influenced
by the necessity of the moment, he determined on
proceeding at once to England to lay the real state
of the case before the Government, and contrived to
have a personal interview with Earl Russell and
Lord Palmerston, who were then in power, and who
were so impressed with the truth of his statements,
and so convinced of the fact — tha# a famine was
impending over the island— that they not only gave
an audience to the reverend petitioner, but also con-
tributed personally by charitable subscriptions to
relieve the distress. They also drew the attention
of Sir Robert Peel, then Secretary for Ireland, to
the matter.
Sir Robert Peel, in company with Father Leader,
visited Cape. The former presented a donation of
his own accord, and also established a postal com-
munication between the island and the main shore.
At the same time a plan was originated for securing
South Harbour by means of a break-water against
the S. E. gale. This necessary work was not how-
ever completed, as the cost of its construction, £5,000,
was considered too expensive by the Commissioners
of Fisheries. At the same time it would have been
p, great advantage by giving employment to the
Sketches in Carbery. 7.3
inhabitants, and thereby relieving their immediate
wants by the wages which would have accrued, and
also a permanent benefit by securing for them a
sheltered and commodious harbour, where they could
safely anchor their pilot boats and hookers.
Nevertheless, the Rev. H. Leader no way abated
' in his praiseworthy ardour. Several families, assisted
by sums of money which he collected from charitable
sources, emigrated to Canada and the United States.
The most munificent patroness at the time was Lady
Coutts, who has been always so distinguished by her
liberal and benevolent contributions to charitable
undertakings. This lady subscribed a large sum of
money to relieve the wants of the islanders, and has
always, at subsequent periods, been most prominent
in her response to everything connected with the
material welfare of the poor people of Cape. It is
unnecessary to dilate at furtber length on the
good works of the Rev. H. Leader, and his many
amiable and genial traits of character ; they are em- ,
balmed in the memory, and deeply engraved in the
hearts of the present generation of Carbery. His
was a character deservedly admired,, not alone for
his frank, manly bearing, kindness, of heart, and
social, hospitable disposition of the highest order,
but chiefly for the heroic and unselfish manner in
whichj on the eve of a great public calamity in Cape
Clear, he boldly anticipated the evil, and helped to
mitigate the sufferings of the poor people entrusted
to his pastoral care. Such conduct won for him the
lasting respect, still shown to his memory, of all
creeds and classes of the community —
" This passing tribute we must offer to his name,
Which speaks but feebly of his worth and fame," .
74 Sketches in Carhenj.
About two years ago the Eev. J. O'Rourke, *
P. P., M- R. I. A., paid a visit to Cape Clear, whilst
on a tour through Ireland in search of information
concerning the great Irish Famine of 1847, and in
the work which has recently issued from his pen
upon that subject, he has alluded at full length to
this part of the country in connection with the narra-
tive of what he truly describes as " one of the most
terrible episodes in the chequered history of our
native land." However melancholy the subject may
be, it is one which must engage the attention and
Bad interest of the historian, statesman, and political
economist, whilst studying and investigating into
the causes of that terrible catastrophe fits desolating
effects, and the remedies suggested, adopted, and
neglected in grappling with a climax of misery and
misfortune amongst a suffering people, perhaps un-
paralleled in the history of any country.
The author's work, which has been recently pub-
lished by Messrs. M'Grlashan and Gill, and J. Duffy
and Sons, of Dublin, in a handsome volume of 550
pages, refleots much credit on the writer. It is the
production of several years' study and laborious re-
search, necessitating the closest reading, and an
accurate intimacy with the all-important documents,
state-papers, &c, of the period. Moreover, he has
supplied a fund of information, the result of personal
interview^, with prominent persons, who had been
actively engaged on relief-committees, and as corre-
spondents for the press during that disastrous-period.
All the subject matter is skilfully arranged, and the
various important extracts ably commented upon.
We might add that it is the first complete work
which hasyet been written upon " The Irish Famine,"
and one which records, in truthful and impressive
Sketches in Carboy. 75
language, every circumstance connected with that
terrible event. The style is graphic, lucid, and con-
cise ; the arguments logical and forcible, whilst some
of the passages are marked by an elegance of diction
and a simple unaffected eloquence which immediately
command our attention and appeal strongly to the
noblest emotions of the mind.
A large portion of the work is devoted to an account
of the sufferings from want in Skibbereen and the
surrounding country, more especially as it was in
our own neighbourhood the vortex of the storm pre-
vailed that swept over the land, which it wrapped
in the shadow of death, leaving more wrecks of
humanity in its wake than the typhoons of China
or the hurricanes of the West Indies. The " History
of the Famine of 1847," by the Eev. J. O'Eourke,
is a work which is well worthy of perusal, and the
writer has condensed his extensive information, and
arranged all his sentences and paragraphs in so
complete, intelligible, and interesting a manner that
the most inattentive reader cannot fail to be con-
vinced of the ability, erudition, and patient research
of the writer, who seems to have adopted the follow-
ing motto throughout — "Nothing shall I extenuate,
nor set down aught in malice." The earlier por-
tions of the volume are devoted to a brief history of
previous famines in Ireland, and an account of the
ravages of the ^potato blight of 1845. Allusion is
made to the plan proposed by the great O'Connell
for dealing with the impending famine, which plan
was, in reality — had it been adopted — the only far-
seeing, wise, precautionary, and statesmanlike mea-
sure which could have warded off famine and death
from thousands of the people.
The Liberator's proposal, brought forward on the
76 Sketches in Carbery.
28th October, 1845, at a meeting of the Dublin
Corporation, was : " 1st, The immediate stoppage of
distillation and brewing; the prohibition of exports
of all kind of provisions to foreign counti-ies ; and
the free opening of our own ports for -provisions
from other countries. In addition, the immediate
purchase of pro zisions by Government for the starv-
ing poor, by a sum of one million, raised by neces-
sary taxation, &c- Unfortunately, no heed was
given to the proposal. Time, more precious than
money, was heedlessly wasted in useless committees
and superfluous scientific investigations. In count-
less instances the relief came afterwards when it wa3
too late. The vital spark was extinct, and could
not be fanned back into a flame. The disease might
have been anticipated, but could not be cured, and
the gaunt spectres of famine and disease were allowed
to stalk over the land, mowing down with relentless
scythe their hecatombs of victims ; sparing no age
nor sex, neither the robust and stalwart peasant in
the prime of maDhood, the babe at the mother's
breast, nor the old man tottering to the grave.* We
select the following very beautiful passage from
Father O'Eourke's book, which refers to his visit to
Abbeystrowry. It is one of fine descriptive power,
written in a strain of unaffected and truly pathetic
eloquence, and a graceful simplicity of style, which
must at once engage the attention of the reader, and
satisfy the most critical observer. Suffice it to say,
in conclusion, that the rest of the work is sustained
with equal ability.
* Many very noble examples of private benevolence, generosity,
and of self-sacrificing zeal were displayed by persons of all creeds
and classes throughout Great Britain, Ireland, and America during
this terrible catastrophe.
S
- »
Sketches in Carhery.
• i
EXTRACTS FROM O ROURKE ON THE IRISH FAMINE.
" Some twenty years after the famine-scourge had passed away,
and oyer two millions of the Irish people with it, I visited Skibbe-
reen. Approaching the town from the (. ork side it looks rather an
important place. It is the seat of the Catholic Bishop of Ross, and
attention is immediately arrested by a group of fine ecclesiastical
buildings on an elevated plateau to the left, just beside the road, or
street I should rather say, for those buildings are the beginning of
the town ;- they consist of a cathedral and a convent, with very
commodious schools, and a pretty Gothic chapel. On the other side
of the way is the schoolhouse, in shade of which the military were
concealed on the day the Caharagh labourers invaded Skibbereen.
A short distance beyond the town, the wooded hill of Knockomagh,
rising to a considerable height, overhangs Lough Hyne, one of the
most beautiful spots in Ireland. Some miles to the westward lies
the pretty island of Sherkin, which, with Tullagh to the east, makes
the charming little bay of Baltimore completely land-locked. Out in
front of all, like a giant sentinel, stands the island of Cape Clear,
breasting with its defiant strength that vast ocean whose waves
foam around it, lashing its shores and rushing up its crannied bluffs,
still and for ever to be flung back in shattered spray by those bold
and rocky headlands.
" My informant was right about my going to Abbey strewry. I
had already inquired the way to it, and had learned that it was half
a mile or so beyond Bridgetown. I wished my interesting informant
good evening, and pursued my walk. Coming to the highest point
of the road, beyond Bridgetown, a very charming landscape opened
before me, made up of the Valley of the Ben and the agreeably
undulating country beyond it. The river at this place is wide and
shallow, and, judging from the noble bridge by which it is spanned,
it must be sometimes greatly swollen. The evening was bright and
pleasant, the sun had gone far westward, and the effect of his light,
as it played on the scarcely rippled water, and shone through the
high empty arches of the bridge, standing like open gateways in the
shallow stream, made me pause for a moment to take in the whole
scene.
" It was during this time that I discovered, immediately beyond
the river, the object of greatest interest to me — the object, in fact,
,of my journey — the churchyard of Abbeystrewry. There was the
spot in which a generation of the people of Skibbereen was buried
in a year and a half. Those places where poor humanity is laid to
rest, when life's work is done, have been always regarded as holy
ground: cities of the dead, solemn and suggestive. But this was
more ; in its lonely seclusion, in its dark and terrible history, it was
■?8 Sketches in Larbeti).
exciting in its impressiveness. In the still sunlight evening, wooed
to rest one could imagine by the gentle murmur of the lien, its
little clump of gnarled trees, grouped around its scanty ruin, was a
picture of such complete repose as to make the most thoughtless re-
flective. I entered. Immediately inside the gate, a little to the
right, are those monster graves, called by the people " the pits,"
into which the bodies were thrown coffinless in hundreds, without
mourning or ceremony — hurried away by stealth, frequently at the
dead of night, to elude observation, and to enable the survivors to
attend the public works next day, and thus prolong for a while their
unequal conquest with all-conquering Famine.
"A difficulty arose in my mind with regard to the manner of in-
terment in those pits. Great numbers I knew were interred in each
of them, for which reason they must have been kept open a con-
siderable time. Tet surely, I reflected, something resembling inter-
ment must have taken place on the arrival of each corpse, especially
as it was coffinless. The contrivance, as I afterwards learned, was
simple enough. A little sawdust was sprinkled over each corpse on
being laid in the pit, which was thus kept open until it had received
its full complement of tenants. To trace one's steps slowly and
respectfully among the graves of those who have reached the goal
of life in the ordinary course fills one with holy warnings ! To
stand beside the monument raised on the battle-field to the brave
men who fell there calls up heroic echoes in the heart ; but here
there is no room for sentiment ; here, in humiliation and sorrow, not
unmixed with indignation, one is driven to exclaim —
* Oh, God ! that tread should he so dear,
And human flesh so cheap.'
" Although thus cast down by earthly feelings, Divine Faith raises
one up again ! Divine-Faith ! the noblest and brightest and holiest
gift of &od to man, always teaching us to look heavenward ! Excel-
sior in its theme for ever ! And who can doubt but the Grod of all
consolation and mercy received the souls of his famine-slain poor
into that kingdom of glory where He dwells, and which He had
purchased for them at so great a price. Even in their imperfections
and sins they were like to Him in many ways ; they were poor, they
were despised, they had not whereon to lay their head ; they were
long suffering, too ; in the deepest pangs which they had suffered
from hunger and burning thirst (the last and most terrible effects of
hunger), they cursed not, they reviled not; they only yearned for the
consolations of their holy religion, and looked hopefully to Him for
a better world. It is one of the sweetest consolations taught us by
holy Faith that the bones now withered and nameless in those famins
pits, where they were laid in their shroudless misery, shall one day,
touched by His Almighty power, be reunited to these happy souls
in a union that can know no end and feel no sorrow."
Sketches in CarberiJ.
7ft
Keferring to the graveyard near Eoaring "Water,
the author says : —
" This graveyard, looking out upon the restless waters from its
quiet elevation, must remain for ages the most historic spot in the
locality, although Skull is not without a history and historic remains.
Many a castle and stronghold have the O'Mahonvs and O'Donovana
built among the crags of the rocky islands, which are grouped in
such variety to seaward, the ruins of which are to-day full of beauty
and interest for the tourist. But surely the day will come when
those crumbling ruins shall be once again a portion of the -common
soil, nameless and forgotten ; but distant though the day may be,
Skull and Skibbereen, those two famine-slain Sisters of the South,
must still be found on the page of Irish history, illustrating the
great famine of 1847."
1
8() Sketches in Carbery.
CHAPTEE VI.
Cape Clear continued— History of St. Kieran, patron saint of the
island — Description of a severe storm in Cape during February,.
1874 — Dunanore Castle, and the legend connected with it — General
description of the ancient feudal castles, their architecture, and
internal economy — Beautiful yiew from Dun-an-Ore — A glance at
Irish history during the close of the.lCth century.
The most interesting circumstance connected with
the history of Cape Clear, and from which it has '
derived the name of Insula Sanctci Clarce, is the fact
of its having been the birth-place of St. Kieran, who
preceded St. Patrick by thirty years. According to the
"Annals of Innisfallen" and "Ussher's Chronological
Index," St. Kieran was born in Cape Clear, A. D. 352.
In the 'Annals"thefollowingnotice is given (Transl.) :
"A. D. 352, St. Ciaran, Bishop of Saighir, and
patron saint of the people of Ossoraidhe ( Ossory),
was born in the island called Cape (Cleire) Clear, a
promontory of Corca Laidhe, in the county Cork."
" A. D. 402. Ciaran and Declan, two bishops, came
from Rome to preach the Gospel in Ireland. Ciaran,
after having preached the Gospel in Inis-Cleire and
all over Corca Laidhe (Carbery), founded a bishop's
see at Saighir in Ossory, and Declan also another
bishop's see at Ardmore in the Desies." The limited
extent of his mission as a Christian preacher, and
the greater renown of St. Patrick, the brilliancy of
whose fame threw all minor luminaries in the shade,
have combined to obscure more or less the history
of the patron saint of Cape, whose name is sometimes
also mistaken for St. Ciaran of Clonmacnois,* another
Sketches in Carbery.
81
distinguished divine, but entirely distinct. The
latter flourished in the beginning of the b'th century,
and founded the celebrated abbey at Clonmacnoise
on the eastern bank of the Shannon, in the King's
County.
That St. Kieran of Cape Clear must have been a
man distinguished by rare perfection of mind and
holiness of life, great energy of character, and deep
devotion to his calling, is evident from the account,
brief and meagre though itlbe, we are able to obtain
from reliable sources. His birth-place was in the
immediate vicinity of Kintracht (White-strand),
called since that remarkable event Trakieran im-
mediately within sight of the dwelling-house, where
afterwards a chapel dedicated to his name was erected
called St. Kieran's chapel. The ruins maj' still be
observed, of a more modern edifice, however ; occu-
pying the same position near the sea, and including
within the aisle and choir an ancient burial-place.
In the centre of Tra- Kieran, deeply imbedded in
the sand, we observe a remarkable pillar-stone, said
to be the work of St. Kieran's own hauds, and fixed
in this locality in order to commemorate his name,
and to be pointed out as a memorial of his Christian
mission. The tradition regarding this circumstance
has been handed down from generation to generation
in an unbroken line, and is as fresh to-day in the
minds of the inhabitants of Cape Clear, as when,
fourteen centuries and a half ago (a long space of
time), St. Kieran converted their pagan ancestors to
Christianity, thus gaining far himself the title of
"Primarius Hibernite Sanctorum" (first in order of
time of the saints in Ireland).
The pillar-stone referred to is a promiuent object
on the strand of North Harbour ; it- is firmly fis§d
r
82 Sketches in Carbery.
in the sand, of an oblong shape, about three feet
high, and eighteen inches in circumference. We
can still, on close examination, discover towards the
summit, traces of two sculptured crosses, slightly
raised above the surface of the stone. In the genea-
logies of Hi-Fiacrach, reference is made to a similar
cross, sculptured on a pillar-stone, by St. Patrick,
at Ballina, Tirawley. Close to the pillar-stone at
Tra-Kieran, a miniature well — a mere hollow in the
sand— exists. Over this the tide encroaches at high
water ; however, on its receding, the water in the
well is perfectly fresh, being fed by a spring which
comes up from a deep source. This is called St.
Kieran's Well. The 5th March, the anniversary
of St. Kieran's birth, is still observed as a holiday
on the island of Cape Clear ; this custom has survived
from time immemorial. The name of the saint is
also commonly adopted as a Christian name, Kieran
Driscoll being a not unusual title.
Smith, who visited Cape about a century ago, has
made the following allusion in the "History of Cork"
to Cape Clear, and also to St. Kieran : — " Cape Clear
island is the most southern part of Ireland, and
contains twelve ploughlands; on the north-west
point stands a castle, built on a rock in the sea,
called Dunanore, to the east of which is the cove of
Tra-Kieran, or St. Kieran's Strand, where we find a
pillar of stone, with a cross rudely cut towards the
top, supposed to have been the work of that saint ;
this stone is held in great veneration by an incredible
number of pilgrims, who assemble round it every
5th March, on which day his festival is celebrated;
a church in ruins under the invocation of St. Kieran
adjoins this pillar."
In the year 402, St. Kieran, after convert-
Sketches in Carbery. 83
ing the people of Cape Clear and Corca Laidhe
(Carbery), proceededto Ossory, where he founded a
bishop's see at Saigher, called after him Serkieran a
townland in the parish of same name in the barony
of- Bally britain, King's County. The ruins of an
ancient church point out where he settled. The
episcopal throne, or chair, of St. Kieran, is still pre-
served in the beautiful and ancient church of St.
Canice, Kilkenny ; it is made of stone, of graceful
proportions, and stands in the north transept. As
additional evidence and authority, besides Ussher and
the " Annals of Innisfallen," we find the following
remarks by "Wright : — "This patriarch (St.-Ciaran)
is believed to have preceded St. Patrick by thirty
years in his holy mission, and to have been the first
to preach Christianity in Ireland." Wills also men-
tions the following : — " At the coming of St. Patrick,
four Cbristian preachers are mentioned by old Irish
testimonies to have been before him and still living
in his time — these were Ailbe, afterwards first
bishop of Emly; Declan of Ardmore; Kieran of
Saigre (by successive translation removed to Kil-
kenny) ; and Ibar of Beg Iri, a small island off the
Wexford coast."
Of all these St. Kieran was the most prominent
and distinguished, and the truth of his claims to an-
tecedence can hardly be disputed when written history
and tradition proclaim the fact so unmistakably. It
is a subject of much interest, especially, when we reflect
that, if this be so, the pillar-stone at Cape Clear is at pre-
sent the oldest Christian relic of the past to be seen in
Great Britain and Ireland, and that the island of Cape
Clear and ancient Carbery were the first bright spots in
the pagan wilderness where the lights of Christianity
shone under the guidance of St. Kieran, thirty years
84 Sketches in Carbery.
before the apostle, St. Patrick, converted all Ireland
to the Christian faith. In "CorcaLaidhe" reference
is made to the life of St. Kieran, the most interesting
being that of the " Scholiast of Aengus," who has
minutely recorded the following particulars, trans-
lated into Latin by the celebrated Colgan (Acta, s. s.
p. 471.) I give a literal translation of the latter.
" Kieran was son of Brandubius^ son of Bressalnis,
son of Bran, son of Fianboth, &c. ; Liedania of the
Stock of Laidhe, son of Ith (paternal uncle or
Milesius), was mother of St. Kieran, and Fintracht is
the name of the place in which he was born, and the
inhabitants of Corca Laidhe (Carbery) were the first
who believed in Christianity in Ireland. But Kieran
inhabited Saighir (Ossory) thirty years before the
arrival of St. Patrick Kieran was Pri-
marius (first in order of time) of the Saints of
Ireland. He was also a man rich. in the possession
of herds. His herd-house, or ' Bovile,' had ten
gates, and ten special stalls; in each were ten
heifers, &c. (This must refer to the time when he
was Bishop of Saighir.) Kieran appropriated nothing
of the produce or milk during his lifetime, but dis-
tributed the entire amongst the poor and distressed
Christians. He also had fifty yoke-horses for the
plough and agricultural purposes ; neither, however,
did he partake of anything of their produce, nor did he
eat wheaten bread in his entire life. His daily food,
which he took only in the evening, was a mouthful
of barley bread, with a dessert of raw herbs, and a
draught of cold water. His garment was made of
deer-skins, bound round with a girdle of untanned
hide, and when he rested for a while, his couch was
a rock."
Such i^ the account we obtain regarding the
Sketches in Carbery.
8S
manner of life pursued by the first Christian saint
of Ireland, as self-denying, simple, and abstemious
as that of the most rigid hermit, with the difference
that it was attended by more practical and beneficial
results to mankind. The foregoing is but a very
brief and imperfect sketch, compiled from trust-
worthy sources, of the life of the renowned saint of
Cape Clear, Carbery, and Ossory. However, it will,
perhaps, tend to develop additional facts regarding
the history of one whose name is identified with
everything that is distinguished, noble, and truly
Christian.
In the " Monasticon Hibernicon" we learn that
during the years 820, '24, and '25, Cape Clear suf-
fered many devastations by the Danes. Cork city
was also pillaged at the same time by these unre-
lenting pirates who visited Cape so unceremoniously
on their first arrival in Ireland. " St. Comgall, a
disciple of St. JFinbarr (6th century), was Abbott of
Cape Clear, and also Saint Cillian. A. D. 953 died
the Abbot, Dunalang, who was son of O'Donagan.
A. D. 960 the island was again despoiled by the
Danes." Thus it will appear that during the very
earliest era of Christianity, Cape Clear had attained
a remarkable notoriety — a fact which must be attri-
buted not alone to its prominent geographical posi-
tion, but also to the fame it had attained as the Insula.
Sancta Clarce — being the birth-place of the good St.
Kieran.
Dr. Joyce, in his admirable work entitled " Irish
Names of Places," refers at some length to the his-
tory of St. Kieran ; he is adverse to the opinion that
St. Kieran preceded St. Patrick, and his ideas on
the subject are in accordance with those of some
other authorities ; still the evidence adduced in the
8(> Sketches in C&rberfj.
foregoing paragraph, which includes names of high
repute, goes to strengthen the popular tradition and
belief as to St. Kieran having been the earliest of
the Irish saints. As the remarks of Dr. Joyce on
the subject I am discussing are most interesting,
and as it is only right when an important event is
being recorded that the statements 'pro and con should
be thoroughly discussed, I submit the following
extract from the work of that learned antiquarian
and philologist : —
" There were many saints named Ciaran or Kieran, but two of
them were distinguished beyond the others, St. Ciaran of Clonmac-
noise, of whom I shall not speak here, and St. Ciaran of Ossory.
Eegarding the exact period when the latter flourished there is much
uncertainty ; but according to the most reliable accounts he became
a bishop about the year 538. He was born in the island of Cape
Clear ; but his father Ligneus was a native of Ossory, and of kingly
descent. Ciaran was one of the numerous band of saints who
attended St. Finian's school at Clonard ; and having retired to a
solitary place called Saighir (Sair) in the territory of Eilein Munster,
he after some time erected a-monastery there, which gradually grew,
and beeair.e the nucleus of a town. He subsequently employed him-
self partly in the care of his monastery and partly in preaching the
gospel to the Ossorians and others, of whom he collected great
numbers. According to a gloss in the " Felire of Aengus" at the 5th
of March (Ciaran's festival day), Saighir was the name of a fountain;
after the saint's time it was called Saighir-Ciaran, which is now
contracted to Seirkieran, the name of a parish near Parsonstown ;
Ciaran is also the patron of Rathkieran in Kilkenny, where he pro-
bably built his church near a pagan rath, which took his name. On
the island of Cape Clear traditions of St. "Ciaran still flit among the
peasantry. An ancient little church retains the name of Kilkieran,
and a strand in one part of the island is called Trakieran (Ciaran's
strand) on which stands a primitive stone cross, said to have been
made by the saint's own hands. St. Ciaran established a nunnery
near Seirkieran for his mother Liadhan (Leean) or Liedaniu ; and
from her the place has since borne the name of Rillyon (Liedhan's
church). It is highly probable that it is from her also that the
pariih of Ballyon in Meath, and the townland of Killyon in the
parish of Dunflerth, KUdare, received their names."
Opposite Tra-Kieran, on the south side of the.
Sketches in Carbery.
87
island, is South Harbour, which is separated from
the former by a narrow rocky isthmus. In the
vicinity is a collection of cabins of most unpretend-
ing appearance, forming a sort of fishing hamlet.
The priest's residence is near the beach, and the
climate here, owing to the southerly aspect, is so
mild and warm during the summer that potatoes
are quite ripe towards the end of May. Of late an
improvement is being effected in the residences of
the inhabitants, who also suffer less from destitution
than in former times. South Harbour possesses a
good depth of water, but, owing to its exposure to
the S. E. gales, which blow at times so violently, the
anchorage is unsafe. It would require a large ex-
penditure of money to construct a breakwater or
pier, which would give sufficient shelter to vessels.
The present miniature breakwater is of no practical
utility.
The following strange story is related by Smith
in connection with South Harbour. "About 120
years ago a large vessel, with a valuable cargo on
board, homeward bound from the "West Indies, was
overtaken by a storm near Cape Clear. She was in
great danger, having several feet of water in her
hold, and the captain, fearing that she would not
remain afloat until morning— whether by good luck
or good management it is impossible to say — steered
her during the night into the harbour by the light
of a candle from a cabin on the island. Great was
his amazement the following morning to find him-
self safely deposited in a snug basin, though- quite
io-norant of the locality, as he had lost his reckoning
cfuring the gale." This was certainly a hair-
breadth escape, as, had he deviated in the slight-
est' degree from the narrow channel leading in,
88
Sketches in Carbery.
the ship would have been dashed to pieces on the
rocks.
On the eastern side of 'the harbour the cliffs attain
to a considerable height, having to confront the fierce
onset of wind and wave ; they are also hollowed out
by the continual undermining action-of the sea at
their base into numerous caves, many of which run
in to a considerable length, and form natural arch-
ways, some with two openings externally. These
caves abound with sea-birds and pigeons, and here
we also observe, during the summer months, puffins
in great numbers. Tranquil as the scene may appear
in fine weather, when everything is hushed into
silence, and no sound heard save the rippling of the
tide on the beach, or the scream of the sea-birds, or
the measured sound of oars in a solitary fishino- boat
or two — at such a time a sensation steals over the
visitor to this Ultima Thule, as if he had been
banished far away into the ocean from the busy
haunts of men into some remote spot where solitude
reigns supreme— how different is the aspect of
Nature in the winter months, when fierce, angry,
waves roll in from the ocean, and storms cut off all
communication with the mainland.
One of the severest gales which has happened for
the last thirty years, and one which has proved most
disastrous to shipping and destructive to human life,
occurred on the 10th and 11th February, 1874.
The writer happened to be on the island during the
time it prevailed, and witnessed, to some" extent^ the
storm, which almost attained the proportions of a
hurricane, Experientia docet. Embarking at Balti-
more in a fine six-oared boat, manned by six stalwart
Capers, we made a rapid passage across the Grasco-
nane, and landed at the eastern extremity of the
/
Sketches in Carhery.
sb
along a narrow
island. A walk of about two miles
hilly pathway, which runs through the centre of the
island, brought us to our destination, South Harbour.
Towards the evening of the 9th February the sky
assumed an appearance ominous of bad weather, and
a gale sprung up from the S. E. (the most dangerous
point of the compass along the eoast) which, gradually
increasing in force, became a regular storm towards
the morning of the 10th. The sky became" covered
with dingy, murky-looking clouds —
Flitting o'erhead in fierce array,
Like dark squadrons marshalling for the fray
— the wind sighed and shrieked and roared alter-
nately, with a dismal, wailiug sound, blowing in
angry squalls and fitful gusts, which almost stopped
one's locomotion. No boat could possibly be launched
in such weather. The view of the sea during the
height of the gale was grand and imposing in the
highest degree.
Perhaps in few places can the ocean during a
storm be seen in more sublime grandeur, with such
towering .waves and foam-crested billows, than off
the precipitous headlands of St. Kieran's isle. There
are no promontories or rocky barriers in the immediate
vicinity to check the roll of the Atlantic tide, as it
sweeps majestically along, and when a winter gale
from the S. E. prevails, the waves near the island
are literally mountain-high. The gale of the 10th
and 11th February has not been equalled in severity,
the islanders say, within the last forty years. Quan-
tities of driftwood, sad emblems of shipwreck, floated
into the harbour, and dead fish — ling, whiting, pol-
lock, &c. — strewed the beach, proving the terrible
violence of the sea. The destruction of fish during
90 Sketches in Carberp.
a severe storm arises not so much from their being
dashed against the rocks as from their being choked
by the sand and mud raised from the bottom in the .
shallow water, and which block up the gills, pre-
venting the proper exercise, necessary for life, of the
function of respiration. The gills are generally
found clogged and matted together with sand and
mud.
At the entrance of South Harbour, which faces
the S E., the sea assumed quite a terrible appear-
ance. Each mighty wave, as it rolled in from 'the
ocean, broke with a noise like thunder against the
steep cliffs on the bold headlands which bound the
harbour's mouth on either side. Huge, lofty columns
of fleecy-looking foam, and long lines of undulating
feathery spray enveloped like snow-flakes the jutting
rocks, burst over the summits of the cliffs in white
clouds, gradually melting away and becoming lost
to view, to be succeeded by others similar in appear-
ance, as each advancing wave came on. The fol-
lowing day, when the wind had subsided, and the
sea became somewhat calm, told its sorrowful tale of
the disasters of the deep, as along the coast several
wrecks had occurred, and many ships — after hair-
breadth and most extraordinary escapes from the
perils of the ocean, with damaged rigging and bat-
tered hulls — were obliged to seek the friendly shelter
of Orookhaven and Baltimore.
In a cabin close to South Harbour, during the
month of December, 1869, a most disastrous accident
occurred, owing to the explosion of a quantity of
petroleum (rock ' oil), a most explosive compound.
The cask containing the fluid was picked up not far
from the beach, a portion of wreck cargo. The
captors proceeded to divide the spoil, but unibrtu-
■a
Skefchcs in Carbeiy- 9i
natelj one heedlessly approached the cask with a'
lighted candle, when the petroleum ignited, and a
terrible explosion resulted, causing the loss of five
lives. It was even strange how any of the inmates
of the house escaped destruction. So intense was
the heat, that the delf ware and the glass bottles
became fused into one mass.
A short distance to the west of Tra-Kieran, on a
projecting rocky headland on the south-west side of
the island, we observe the ruins of Dunanore Castle
— The O'Driscoll's fortress. This castle formed a
safe retreat to the occupants in times of danger, i. e.,
before artillery came into use. A more impregnable
site cannot be well imagined. The building occupied
the entire of the solitary rock, on which it was built,
and was connected with the mainland by means of
a narrow isthmus or causeway, which must ori-
ginally have been tunnelled through the centre.
On every other side it was inaccessible, a barrier
of steep cliffs surrounding the castle walls, and re-
sisting not alone the fury of the elements but also
defying the aggressive attacks of human foes. The
causeway, when Smith visited the island in 1770,
was a narrow and dangerous pathway from the
mainland to the castle. He speaks of it in the fol-
lowing terms: — "There is a very narrow passage,
about a yard broad and ten yards in length, to this
castle. This path is high and steep on both sides,
the sea on either side being so very deep, that few
but persons well used to it will venture to walk it
over. When I got to the top of this castle, and saw
the ocean rolling on all sides of the rock, I wished
heartily to be again on the mainland."
This description would not apply to the place at
present. By the continual action of the waves the
i
f
■
92 Sketches in Carberp.
- •
narrow passage has been nearly washed away, and
the height ahove the water level is only a few feet ;
in fact, sometimes at high water the castle plateau
becomes completely insulated. Dun an ore (the Golden
Fort) is supposed to have beeu first erected about
the beginning of the 13th century; the ruins at
present consist of a portion of the side walls of the
central tower or donjon, the eastern wall has fallen
to the ground, but so firmly united together are the "
stones, by the grouting process used in the masonry,
that the greater part of the fallen structure remains
in one solid mass. Nearly all traces of the outer
buildings which surrounded the tower, viz., bastions,
curtains, &c, and the dwellings which were occupied
by the chieftain's retainers, have disappeared — these
were built of more fragile materials, and hence it is
that at the present day, although we observe the
various central towers of the ancient castles thickly
scattered over the face of the country, and their
massive walls standing as monuments of the feudal
ages, we fail to discover the relics of the subordi-
nate structures w&ich used to surround the Bawn or
enclosures.
Most of the old castles, whose picturesque ruins
strike our attention, and add an additional charm to
the beautiful scenery of our native isle, were con-
structed in the begiuning of the 13th century. The
style of architecture was principally introduced by
the feudal barons from Normandy into England and
Ireland. However, according to a distinguished
Corkman, Windele, in his charming work entitled
" South of Ireland," " of 106 castles erected within
the county of Cork, 56 alone were built by Irish
chieftains (twenty-six of these belonging to the
Mac Carthys), and fifty-nine by the Anglo-Irish
1 »
Sketches in Carbery.
93
families of Barry, Fitzgerald, Barret, &c. In Kerry
of thirty-nine castles enumerated, twenty-nine were
built by the Milesian Irish." The massive walls of
the tower, sometimes twelve feet thick, were built of
rough, unhewn stones, and the wonderful stability
they still possess bears evidence of the skill used in
their construction. The lower chambers had vaulted
roofs of stone, and were dark, gloomy apartments,
used by the retainers and menials, and lighted by
narrow loopholes in the walls, which served as win-
dows. Circular winding stone staircases, which
never rejoiced in the luxury of a carpet, wound
along the angles of thejtower from the basement to
the upper story, surmounting which at the top the
battlemented walls projected in crenelated or machi-
colated parapets, resting on corbels, and permitting
of a passage at the summit between the parapet and
the roof, which was a very necessary "point d'appui"
when an attacking force approached the castle.
From here the garrison discharged their arrows or
guns as the case might be, or hurled down stones on
the heads of their enemies. About midway up we
observe, inside the walls, the stone corbels on which
the. wooden floors of the upper story used to rest.
These floors have long ago decayed and disappeared
from the influence of the weather, and hence it is
that the castles are such complete shells. The upper
stories were the state apartments, where the chief
and his family resided, and some of them, where an
advance had been made in the refinements of life,
were hung with' tapestry, and ornamented with
curious weapons and implements of the chase Win-
dele says " chimnt-ys were but little known before the
fourteenth century."
The. following remarks by the same author are
■*
94 Sketches in Carbery.
very interesting regarding the internal household
arrangements of those substantial dwellings. " Of *
the interior economy of these structures, M. De Le
Boullaye Le Grouz in 1664 gives no very tempting
description. The castles or houses of the nobility,
he says, consist of four walls, extremely high, thatched
with straw, but to tell the truth they are nothing
but square towers without windows, or at least having
such small apertures as to give no more light than
there is in a prison. They have little furniture, and
cover their rooms with rushes, of which they make
their beds in summer, and of straw in winter. They
put the rushes a foot de§p on their floors, and on
their windows, and many of them ornament their
ceilings with branches. Much elegance was certainly
not the characteristic of the time, even in some of
the great English mansions.. We are informed that
the great hall was commonly strewed with marrow-
bones, and full of hawk perches, hounds and other
dogs. The walls were hung with armour, and
weapons of war as well as the chase, and some of
the principal chambers with rich tapestry in England
as well as in Ireland. Stools were the substitutes
"for chairs. A modern citizen, of small income, on
the whole, seems to enjoy much more real comfort
and convenience than the highest baron in the palmy
days of feudalism."
O'Driscoll's castle of Dunanore was of small di-
mensions. The ivied walls and quaint, picturesque
ruins, independent of the wildness of the surrounding
scenery, recall at once the traditions of the neigh-
bourhood, and the interesting records of the historic
past. The chambers overhanging the stormy At-
lantic are tenantless and deserted, except by the
birds of the air ; the ancient tapestry and the orna-
Sketches in Carbery. 95
1
ments which decked the walls are replaced bv a
luxuriant covering of the ivy green ; and the only \>
music now which re-echoes round this crumbling
pile is the mournful wail of the winter wind, ' the ^
sighing of the summer breeze, and the constant
cadence of the Atlantic roar.
• From the vicinity of Dunanore, we obtain a view
of the coast and the surrounding ocean, which is one
of surpassing beauty, when the summer sun is set-
ting in the far west. Towards the south, as far as
the eye can reach, the broad expanse of the Atlantic
is stretched before our gaze, the distant horizon
dotted here and there by some white sail, or the dark
hull of one of those leviathan steamers which ply
their busy trade between the Old "World and the New.
Cape Clear is the first land which greets the Ameri-
can tourist or the returning emigrant on his approach
to the old country, and the last cherished spot of his
" own dear isle " which bids adieu to the Irish peasant,
when he parts, perhaps for ever, from his native country
" The sailor sighs as sinks his native shore,
And all its less'ning turrets bluely fade ;
He climbs the mast to feast bis eyes once more,
And busy fancy fondly lends her aid."
From here we can observe those beautiful sunsets
which no pen can properly describe nor pencil
debneate, nor painter's skill pourtray : dissolving
views and transformation scenes, how far surpassing
in magnificence the feeble artistic efforts of man,
sketched by the hand of nature on an etherial can-
vas of azure blue ; clouds banked together in an
endless variety of form, and with a richness of colour-
ing which defies description, all the varied hues of
the rainbow blended together with matchless perfec-
tion, and so brilliant and brightly tinted. In the
C6
Sketches in Carbery.
background the dark purple masses of the rugged
mountains, capes, and promontories, which, by their
sombre colours, only serve the more to display and
set off the brilliancy and splendour of the sky over-
head.
"We cannot delay, however, over such sesthetic
• pursuits, and must return again to the castle of
Dunanore and the fortunes of Sir Fineen O'Driscoll.
Dunanore Castle was captured, together with the
rest of the island, on the 22nd of March, 1601, by
Captain Roger Harvey. For these, and other ser-
vices, he was granted a commission at the time by
Lord Deputy Mountjoy as Governor of Carbeiy.
By means of artillery, which Harvey planted on the
high ground adjoining the castle, he compelled the
garrison to surrender, and battered down the eastern
wall of the castle. A tradition prevailed for a long
time that Dunanore, as its name would imply, was
a place where a golden treasure had been buried, and
a story is current that, many years ago, in the reign
of Queen Anne, when a garrison of soldiers was
stationed in Cape Clear, one of the soldiers — whose
greed for wealth was excited by the stories he had
heard of large treasures being secreted beneath the
foundations of the Golden Fort—proceeded to work
with might and main to discover the hidden treasure;
however, his labours were unrequited. Although he
excavated the soil to the level of the sea, no hidden
treasure ever met his anxious gaze, except the sand
and shells of the sea. The opening in the ground
is still pointed out where the disappointed red-coat
commenced his fruitless labours.
The islanders recount the following supernatural
stories regarding Dunanore, which they firmly be-
lieve to be haunted. On more than one occasion a
J
-
Sketches in Carbery. 97
mysterious vessel of beautiful proportions, and with
gauze-like sails of snowy whiteness, has been observed
approaching the castle, and the crew have been
actually seen at the hour of midnight conveying
into the castle a large cargo of golden treasure.
They have been even heard singing and carousing
during the night, yet no one ever had the hardihood
to intrude upon their nocturnal revels. But the
moment daylight has stolen o'er the scene, the phan-
tom ship has vanished into the air, like the
" Baseless fabric of a vision,
And left not a rack behind,"
the crew have disappeared as if by magic, and not a
vestige of golden store, or a relic of the banquet has
ever remained behind to greet the anxious gaze of
the astonished observer.
The upper story, which these supernatural visitors
were wont to frequent, has already fallen to decay :
no matter what used to be left there by ordinary
mortals during the day was sure to be removed by
the fairies during the night, and the floor afterwards
swept by the same "good people" with scrupulous
neatness and care. *
Close to the castle walls was a large ring-bolt im-
bedded in the solid rock, to which the O'Driscolls
used to moor their galleys. The castle promises
before long to follow the example of the one in Lough
Hyne, and become a fragmentary ruin. Indeed it
seems strange how, left to its own unaided powers
of resistance against the elements, it could have so
long escaped destruction.
The close of the 16th and beginning of the 17th
century furnish us with historical details of a most
exciting nature. The tumult of war with its disaa*
8
98 Sketches in Carbevy.
trous train of consequences extended, as we ob-
served, even to the extreme end of Cape Clear,
■which had enjoyed comparative repose since it was
invaded by the Danes. In the south of Ireland
the immense territories of the great Earl of Des-
mond, in Kerry, Cork, "Waterford, Limerick, &c,
amounting to 574,628 acres, had been confiscated
to the Crown. A crowd of restless adventurers and
greedy undertakers had settled on the ancient
patrimony of the Fitzgeralds, who up to this period
had exercised an almost regal sway in the south of
Ireland.
A lull had taken place in the storm, which,
however, was destined to break forth with re-
newed violence, when the Spaniards landed in
Kinsale, on the 23rd September, 1601. Then fol-
lowed the final effort of the two great northern
chieftains, O'Donnell and O'Neill, whom M'Gree
describes as the Achilles and Ulysses of the fight.
The memorable and important battle of Kinsale
occurred shortly afterwards — December, 1601 — re-
sulting in the final overthrow of the Spanish and
Irish forces by Mountjoy and Carew. The over-
weenino - confidence and incapacity of Don Juan
D'Ao-uila, the Spanish leader, and the impetuous
ardour of O'Donnell, whose counsel outweighed the
more prudent tactics of the great O'Neill, led in a
great measure to this disastrous defeat. At this
period amongst the southern chieftains, who had
joined the Spaniards and O'Neill and O'Donnell,
the most prominent names were those of O'Sullivan,
of Dunboy, and Sir Fineen O'Driscoll More, a
sketch of whose career and antecedents we must
reserve for a future chapter.
Sketches in Carbery. 9§
i
CHAPTER YII. /
The O'Driscoll pedigree — The aboriginal Milesian colonists of Car-
bery — Sir Walter Coppinger — Petition against his encroachments
by the Mayor and Burgesses of Baltimore — The Telegraph Station
on Cape very important during the American war — The old
Lighthouse, and magnificent sea view from there — The Signal
Tower — Fir breogach — Lough Errul ; habits and manners of the
people — Cape Clear, a miniature kingdom, an "Imperium in Im-
perio" down to A. D. 1700 — Cruathan O'Karevaun (O'Driscoll),
the celebrated giant — Agriculture of the island, &c, &c.
The celebrated chieftain, Sir Fineen (Florence)
O'Driscoll, who furnishes the subject of the present
sketch, occupied a very prominent position in Irisji
affairs during the close of the 16th century. Des-
cended in a direct line from Ith — paternal uncle of
Milidh, or Milesius of Spain — his ancestors had
possessed, from a very remote period until the 12th
century, all the extensive tract of country stretching
along the sea coast from Kinsale harbour to the
Kenmare river. Encroachments of hostile tribes
and the Anglo-Norman invasion had absorbed, in
the time of Sir Fineen, the greater portion of the
ancestral domains ; still, however, he possessed rich
territories in Baltimore, Cape Clear, and Sherkin,
from which he derived a considerable income, and
also the adjoining lands in Kilcoe, Creagh, Augha-
down, &c. Sir Fineen had been always considered
a most loyal subject until the time of the Spanish
Invasion, when, in conjunction with O'Neill, O'Don-
nell, and O'Sullivan, he revolted and delivered up
8*
100 Sketches in Carheri).
his castles of Dunashead and Duunalong to the
Spaniards. The result proved disastrous to his worldly
interest, as not alone did he suffer severe reverses
himself, but with him terminated the long and ancient
pedigree of the O'Driscoll chieftains of Corca Laidhe.
Sir Fineen was of royal descent, and one of his
ancestors,- in the 3rd century, before the '(Christian
Era (A. C. 222), Lughaid Mac Con, was monarch of
all Ireland, and — if we are to believe history — a man
of great renown and ability. From Mac-Con, accord-
ing to Collins, were descended O'Driscoll, O'Flynn
of "Arda,"* O'Cobthaig, O'Leary, &c, the Mac Al-
iens of Scotland, and the Campbells, who are still
called in the "Erse Clana" Mhic Cuin or the
posterity of Mac Con. Strange to say, even after
such a lapse of time — almost two thousand years —
Mac Con is still retained in Cape Clear as the
Christian name of some of the inhabitants, who also
adopt the name of Kieran as a prefix to O'Driscoll,
a fact which proves the historical connection of both
names with the locality, and the traditionary re-
nown of the two great stars of theX)'Driscoll tribe —
the one a powerful monarch, the Achilles of the race,
and the~other the patron saint of the island, Primarim
EibemicB Sanctorum.
In the "Annals of the Four Masters," and those of
" Innisfallen," notices of the O'Driscolls (O'Eidrisceoil,
which means Interpreter) are very frequent. Mac Con
and Fineen appsar to be the favorite names amongst
the chieftains, who seem to have been continually
engaged in petty warfare from the earliest times,
especially with the "Waterford people, a rivalry which
* The Castle of Arda, situated midway between Lough Hyne
and Baltimore was inhabited formerly by the chief of this family
(O'Donoyan).
Sketches in Carbery. ' 101
must have sprung up principally owing to the fisheries
along the coast, and the important trade with Spain,
which gave rise to conflicting interests. A. D. 1585,
Sir Florence (Fineen) O'Driscoll attended a Parlia-
ment assembled in Dublin, and there so far conformed
to English customs as to take his .land by letter
patent from Queen Elizabeth. The. former custom
was that the chieftain of Corca Laidhe, when inaugu-
rated into the chieftaincy in solemn conclave of the
tribe, received as an emblem of authority and un-
biassed rectitude a white rod from MacCarthyEeagh,
Prince of Carbery , and was afterwards obeyed and styled
as The O'Driscoll, Lord of the Countie of Collymore.
Sir Fineen was the first to yield allegiance, and
remained as already stated true to his professions
until the Spanish Invasion in 1601, when he admitted
Spaniards into his castles of Dunashead, Baltimore,
and Dunelong, Sherkin, and received money and
ammunition from the same source. Sir Fineen, not-
withstanding his having joined the Spaniards, was
shortly after pardoned, and received into favour by
the Government, as in the " Pacata Hibernia," by
Oarew, is mentioned in the instructions to the Earl
of Thomond, from the Lord Deputy : " The former
is desired to afford all kind and mild usage to those
that are in subjection, or lately protected," including
O'Driscoll amongst the number.
Smith relates that, in order to ingratiate himself
with Queen Elizabeth, O'Driscoll supplied an English
fleet, which was becalmed off Baltimore for a con- -
siderable time, with fresh provisions, and entertained
all the captains and other officers at his castles with -
princely hospitality. So lavish was his munificence
on this occasion that he actually flooded the town-
well wi^h wine, and threw handfuls of money into,
102 Sketches in Carbery.
it, to divert the company, and enrich the crew.
From this circumstance this particular well in Bal-
timore still retains the name of Tohar-an-arigid'(the
■well of the money.) Indeed, it seems from all
accounts, that Sir Eineen and his ancestors were very
wealthy, deriving a very large income from the
various royalties, duties, and other customs, besides
the fisheries along the coast, an occasional raid
on the "Waterford merchants, and a fair share of
smuggling with Spain, a practice not uncommon in
the days gone by.
In a copy of the inquisition taken in Eosscarbery,
in the year 1608, all the various lordships, royalties,
rents, and dues are detailed, and the boundaries
strictly defined of the country or cantred of Colly-
more, alias called O'Driscoll's country. It contained
65 ploughlands — 39^ on the mainland, and 25J in
the islands, which shows how much reduced in size
were the territories of the O'Driscolls at this period.
The names of their castles would also indicate the
flourishing and prosperous condition of the occupants,
viz. — Dun-na-Sead, where the English fleet was
entertained, which means the castle of the jewels,
and Dun-an-ore, in Cape Clear, the golden fort.
The Queen, on being informed of O'Driscoll's libe-
rality to the fleet, pardoned his joining the Spaniards,
and sent for him to Court ; but, before his arrival,
her Majesty died, and during his absence in Eng-
land, Smith tells us " the great part of his possessions
were intruded into by Sir Waiter Coppinger, which
caused this ancient family to fall into decay." "Walter
Coppinger, of Cloughane, gent., had, on previous
occasions, been an arbitrator in deciding a dispute
regarding landed property between Sir Fineen and
9, near relative of his, named Fynine Karragh. Ac-
Sketches in Carboy. 103
oordiug to O'Donovan, Sir Pineen let Baltimore
and the entire of the Collymore territory to Sir
Thomas Crooke (one of the undertakers, who planted
a colony in Baltimore) for twenty-one years, for a
fine of £2,000 sterling, and he thus prohahly laid
the foundation of a forfeiture." Crooke procured a
charter of incorporation from James L, A. D. 1613,
and was the first M. P. for Baltimore, in which
capacity he took a prominent position in the Parlia-
mentary debates in Dublin at that period.
After his death, and before the lease had expired,
Coppinger prosecuted his title, a very doubtful one
it must have been, and got, by reference, an order
out of Chancery against the heirs of O'Driscoll. The
Sovereign, or Mayor of Baltimore, the Burgesses,
and the inhabitants, with the heir of Sir Fineen,
petitioned Government, and stated their grievances
at full length. Coppinger, in the meantime, after
the justices had issued a commission to Sir "William
Hull, Mr. Henry Becher, and Mr. Barham to
examine into the case, made a private contract with
Becher, and granted him a lease of tha whole.
Another complaint followed from the Baltimore
Sovereign. Coppinger was summoned, and confined
to Dublin Castle for contempt of court, and Becher,
although one of the commissioners, was considered
equally culpable. Fortunately for Becher, how-
ever, he had as a particular friend, the celebrated
Richard Boyle, first Earl of Cork, who gave him
salutary advice, and also fixity of tenure, regarding
the fisheries, with the admonition that they might
all go peacably home and abide by. the decision.—
(See Smith.)
Other claimants appeared soon after in the wake
of the Sovereigu of Baltimore, Coppinger, and
104 Sketches in Garbery,
Beeher, on the 20th of June, 1631 — and much more
unscrupulous in their dealings were they than either
Sir Eineen's ancestors, or even the undertakers of
the 16th century — these -were the Algerine pirates,
whose famous sack of Baltimore is so familiar to all.
The well-known lines of Moore, slightly altered, will
apply well to this occurrence : —
" The colonists kicked up a deuce of a clatter,
And quarrelled and fought about meum and tuum,
The Aigerines came and decided the matter,
By kindly converting it all into suum."
•.': :
Sir Eineen, as we mentioned already, died in
England early in the 17th century. His wife was
Eileen (Ellen), daughter of Sir Owen Mac Car thy
Beagh, Prince of Carbery. Ellen, her mother, was
daughter of Dermott O'Callaghan ; her grandmother
was Eleanor Eitzgerald, daughter of Grerald, 8th
Earl of Kildare. His son, Cornelius, was a captain
in . the Archduke's country, and his grandson, who
was an ensign in the Spanish navy, was killed
during an engagement with the Turks 'in the Medi-
terranean. Shortly after Sir Fineen's death the
senior hranch of the O'Driscolls became extinct in
Ireland, and the majority of his relatives emigrated
to Spain, the solum natale of their ancestors.
Another distinguished hranch of the family were
the O'Driscolls of Castlehaven. Donogh O'Driscoll,
who resided there, delivered up his castle to the
Spaniards in 1601, previous to the naval engage-
ment in the harbour. One of this family was colonel
of a regiment in the army of James II., and Gover-
nor of Eingroan Castle, Kinsale, which he bravely
defended against the renowned Earl of Marlborough.
During the attack on the castle three barrels of
Sketches in Carbery, . 105
powder accidentally took fire at the gate, and blew
it up with about forty soldiers, and finally, after a
most heroic resistance, O'Driscoll and 200 of the
garrison being killed, the rest surrendered upon
quarter. Abroad many scions of the race distin-
guished themselves in a military capacity. The
Sieur Corneille O'Driscoll during the war of the suc-
cession was a distinguished officer in Spain, in 1707
and 1708, and Lieut -colonel to the dragoon regi-
-ment of the famous Count Daniel O'Mahoni.
A very interesting account, written specially for
the late Dr. O'Donovan, by Eickard O'Donovan,
Esq., Cork, Clerk of the Crown, is included in the
appendix to a work by the former, styled the "Gene-
alogy of Corca Laidhe," to which we refer those who
are anxious to learn all minute particulars concerning
the O'Driscoll history and pedigree. It appears
that the substantial though ugly-looking square
building near the river at Oldcourt, which latter
place derives its name from this structure, was for-
merly called Creagh Court, and occupied by Denis
O'Driscoll in the beginning of the 18th century.
One of his descendants living in Charlestown,
America, is supposed to be the senior representative
of this family.' William Hy O'Driscoll, of Stoke,
Plymouth, is said to be really the last lineal descen-
dant of the senior branch of the O'Driscolls in the
British Isles. The Mount Musick branch of the
O'Driscolls, to whom the late Captain Alexander
O'Driscoll belonged, so celebrated in Carbery forty
years ago, were descended from Florence O'Driscoll
of Eallyisland (son of Colonel Cornelius, son of
Donoogh), who was born in 1677, and married in
1706 the daughter of O'Donovan, &c
Close to South Harbour on the eastern side, the
106 Sketches in Carbery.
telegraph station, at present a complete ruin, is a
prominent object. During the American war be-
tween the North and South it. was a place of con-
siderable importance and a centre of attraction, the
first spot in the Old World from which the news of
the stormy events in America was telegraphed for
the information of millions. A small steamer char-
tered bj Government was placed at the disposal of
the telegraph officials, and her- occasional presence in
South Harbour was an interesting novelty never
witnessed on previous occasions.
"When the transatlantic steamers from New York
approached the island, freighted with news and des-
patches of such momentous importance, a scene of a
most exciting nature could be witnessed near the
beach ; rival crews of hardy islanders launching their
boats, with incredible speed and a keen eye to busi-
ness, and stimulated to great exertions, as a golden
prize was in view — a sovereign being the reward on
each occasion for the boat's crew who were first to
reach the packet. The mails were-'thrown overboard
in a buoyant waterproof case, picked up quickly,
conveyed on shore, and all important telegrams with-
out further delay, sent with lightning speed to London.
A submarine cable connected the telegraph station
with the wires on the mainland passing from Cape
to Sherkin, and from the Abbey Strand on the latter
island across the harbour to Baltimore and so on to
Skibbereen, Cork, Dublin, and London. But now-
a-days the shrill whistle of the steam pipe is no
longer heard in the South Harbour — the Telegraph
House is crumbling to decay, the submarine cable
is a broken link of the past, and no busy official,
seated at his solitary desk near the melancholy
ocean in this remote little office— not much larger
Sketches in Carbery. 107
than the tuh of Diogenes — electrifies the world with
his telegrams ahout the hattles, sieges, victories, and
defeats which were heing enacted in the Great
Eepuhlic of the West. "Othello's occupation's
gone."
A short distance westward along the coast brings
us to the summit of the highest cliff in the island
(Eoile Cahill), and here, at an elevation of 480 feet
above the sea, a lighthouse was formerly erected by
the Corporation for Improving the Port of Dublin.
It exhibited a bright revolving light of 21 lamps, of
which seven became visible every two minutes. In
clear weather the light was seen from all points out
to sea at a distance of 28 nautical miles. Unfortu-
nately, however, in foggy weather, owing to the
high elevation, the light was greatly obscured by
cloud and mist, rendering this very indispensable
lighthouse for' the time being comparatively useless
to ships _ approaching the land. Consequently the
place was condemned, the lantern removed, and
the present lighthouse — the most important on the
Irish coast — erected, about five miles from Cape, on'
the celebrated Fastnett Rock, which looks in the
distance like the culminating point of a submerged
mountain, and on which rock, in former times, many
a shipwreck took place.
The old lighthouse was constructed with great
care, and no expense appears to have been spared :
the building materials were solely stone and iron.
The floors and spiral staircase are composed of granite
brought specially from Dublin. The pyramidal and
circular blocks of granite in each floor are so care-
fully and evenly adjusted, as to resemble a Mosaic
pavement. Iron girders, and stanchions support, and
give wonderful strength to the walls and lofts. On,
j
108 Sketches in Carbery.
the lower story are rents visible in the walls caused
bj lightning.
Having reached the upper end of the staircase,
we ascend through a trap-door to the flat roof or plat-
form, which formerly supported the lantern, before
it was removed to the Fastnett Lighthouse. Here,
elevated at a height of nearly 500 feet above the sea
level, we obtain a panoramic view of land and ocean
which is truly magnificent and sublime, when there
is no haze on the sea or clouds in the sky to mar
the beauty of the scene.
I have observed it on a beautiful day in the
autumn : not a sound could be heard, but the rippling
of the tide against the base of the cliffs ; the ocean,.
far as the eye could reach, calm, without a wave,
and shining like a mirror ; the bright azure of the
sky overhead undimmed by a single cloud. To the
south the Fastnett (Carrigeena), a solitary-looking
rock, jutting above the surface of the sea, crowned
on its pinnacle by the lighthouse, which in the
distance resembles a "round tower of other days;"
the sombre colours of the rock relieved by the re-
flected light of the sun, playing around its circum-
ference like a silver circle in the waters, a dark picture
in a beauteous frame.
Inland the scenery is wild and picturesque. In
the far west we descry the Kerry mountains — the
famous Mangerton, and the serried outlines of
Magillicuddy's .Reeks, and the bold, bluff promon-
tories which, stretching far away to the south-west,
brave the furies of the Atlantic, To the east we
observe the Galley Head, with its nearly-finished
lighthouse, a welcome object in the future will it
prove to the " toilers of the deep." When the sun
i§ setting behind the mountains the beauteous tint^s.
Sketches in Cafbery-. 109
of" the sky " variurn et mutabile semper," rivalling
those of the rainbow —
" Brought forth in purple,
Cradled in vermillion,"
produce an effect rarely surpassed by any region of
the earth.
A Signal Tower was erected close to where the
lighthouse stands immediately after the arrival of
the French in Ban try Bay. In appearance it pre-
sents the character of a fortress, and was evidently
intended, judging from its architecture, to serve for
military purposes, as well as for signalling. Shortly
after its erection a violent storm occurred, and owing
to its exposed situation, the tower was rocked and
shaken so much by the wind, that the lieutenant in
command and his little garrison were tempted
strongly to desert the building for fear of being
buried under the ruins. In connection with the
Signal Tower I must refer to the Fir Bregach
(False men, An g lice). These were long, upright
stones, which were firmly imbedded in the ground,
and occupied a prominent position at the south-west
end of the island, close to the high cliffs which over-
hang the sea. In order to scare away any hostile
force, which might have been tempted to invade the
island, the very ingenious "ruse de guerre" was
adopted of clothing these inanimate bodies, each
with a suit of scarlet uniform, so that when observed
from the sea they might be mistaken for a company of
soldiers on the alert. They were placed in a position
which they have maintained undisturbed for the last
eighty years, having been planted about the same
time the Signal Tower was erected. There can be
no doubt but the "Fir Bregach," although they
[
116 Sketches in Carbenj.
might not be very active in repelling an invasion,
have proved most faithful sentries, so far as "not
abandoning their post.
There are some fresh-water lakes in the south-west
end of the island, and one of them, in particular, is
deserving of notice ; it is called Lough Erral, and is
nearly a mile in circumference. Its surrounding
shores are barren, and as devoid of vegetation as its
waters are of fish, reminding us somewhat of —
" That lake whose gloomy shore
Skylark never warbles o'er."
The water possesses cleansing properties to a re-
markable degree ; this is owing to tbe very large
quantity of subcarbonate of soda which it holds in
solution, as proved by analysis made as far back as
1775, by Dr. Rutty, of Dublin, an eminent chemist
of that period. The saponaceous qualities of the
water are so strong that if a cask, in which oil has
been kept, is placed in the lake for a few days,
the cask, when taken out, is perfectly clean, and free
from all traces of oil. The islanders formerly, when
flax used to be grown on the island, extensively uti-
lized the water of Lough Erral for purifying and
whitening their linen yarns, which thereby acquired
a very perfect quality and superior character. The
coarse friezes which they also manufactured were
submitted to a similar cleansing process. Townsend,
in his " Statistical Survey of the County Cork," de-
scribing the rude process of tucking, which the female
portion of the community were obliged to adopt,
there being no tucking-mill on the island, as there
is no stream capable of turning a wheel, says : —
" The business of the field or the fishery engrossing
the attention of the men, the operation of tucking
Sketches m Carberi/. ill
has devolved on their fair associates, who perform it
in the following manner: Upon a square hurdle,
to keep the cloth from the dirt of the ground, eight
women take their seats, four opposed to four, at such
a distance as that the extended legs of one set just
reach the drawn up feet of the other. The frieze
placed between is pushed alternately by each party
with as much force as they can exert against the
feet of the other until, by frequent repetition of this
laborious process, the piece is sufficiently tucked."
The sheep on Cape were formerly a peculiar variety,
small in size, the flesh very delicate in flavour ; they
had long, depending, twisted horns ; the wool was
exceedingly fine, a fact attributed to the nature of
the pasturage near the sea. The houses, or rather
cabins, have the straw thatching, which is roughly
laid on, eovered with an interwoven network of straw
ropes (soogauns), tightly drawn across. To the free
ends which hang over the eaves, either large stones
are attached, or they are twisted securely around
bolts, firmly imbedded in the walls. This contrivance
is absolutely necessary to prevent the roofs being
blown away by the fierce gales which prevail during
the winter months.
As the soil, except on the north side of the island,
is poor, shallow, and unproductive, covered with
heath and furze and stone walls in abundance, the
hardy natives, in order to procure a livelihood, must
depend in a great measure on the prosperity of the
fisheries and the success of their pilotage. They
cannot now, as in the good old times, supplement
their ordinary mode of subsistence by a little
smuggling on the sly, the landing of an occasional
contraband cargo, and the appropriation of the stray
waifs of the ocean, the Flotsam and Jetsam of the
\\2 Sketches in Carhery,
deep, which, either attracted their attention out to
sea or -were cast up on the heach from some ship-
wrecked vessel. However, if such was the general
custom in former times, no men ought to he hetter
excused for having followed the example of their
neighbours than the poor islanders, so little Messed
with the gifts of fortune. The soil on the north side
of the island is fertile and productive, and good
crops of potatoes, oats, and harley are raised annually,
the land "being well manured with seaweed and
sand, and even sometimes, as a substitute for guano,
they top-dress the potato gardens with layers of
mussels — a shell-fish abundant along the coast.
On the south side, except the little patches between
the rocks, the land, owing to its exposed position, is
barren in its nature, and raises little except crops of
stones acres of heath and furze, &c. The inhabi-
tants are very industrious, and are so attached to
their island home, that Lawson remarks, "they con-
sider it the first gem of the sea," notwithstanding,
as he says in another place, "the surveillance of
coastguards and revenue officers, who neither allow
them to traffic with homeward bound vessels, as in
them to tramc WlUi uumewaiu. uuuuu vessels, as in
i
the days of their forefathers, nor to hold intercourse
with contraband traders from the coasts of France
and Holland, nor to manufacture their own whiskey."
He also naively states : " On the island is a Roman
Catholic chapel, having a resident incumbent, and,
certainly, this worthy man must be the most extra-
ordinary of mortals if he is content with his lot."
Amongst the fauna of the island, rabbits are the
most abundant, as they literally swarm over the
south-west side. The peculiar horned sheep, now
almost extinct, and a small breed of cattle, were
formerly numerous on the" island. There are no
T
Sketches in Carbery. 113
hares to be seen, or even frogs. Near the north end
of the island, a pillar-stone (Grallaun) may he ob-
served, standing as a prominent object, about four
feet high. In the centre there is a circular aperture ;
there is an ancient tradition connected ■with it. In
former times this was a trysting-stone where lovers
met to plight their troth, and as no jeweller flourished
on the island, and engagement rings were not to be
obtained, they adopted the custom of plighting their
troth by shaking hands through the aperture. The
mutual vows of fidelity made on such occasions were
scrupulously observed. A certain odour of sanctity
was attached to the Gallaun as being a venerable relic
connected in some way or another with the worship
of the Druids. The custom, like many others, s ich
as bonfires, &c , was tinged with a colouring of a
pagan age. The inhabitants at present, however,
are too enlightened to follow in the footsteps of their
ancestors so far as the pillar-stone and the ancient
rite attached are concerned.
The natives of Cape Clear are distinct in a great
measure from the inhabitants of the mainland ; they
have remained from time immemorial as a separate
colony, always intermarrying amongst themselves;
so that we must regard them as amongst the most
typical specimens at the present day of the old
Milesian race. The name of nearly all the islanders is
O'Driscollor Cadogan, the latter being only a sobriquet
for the former. Baltimore and Cape were originally
the stronghold of this family, the principal chieftain,
O'Driscoll More, residing in Baltimore. There can
be no doubt but that they were the aboriginal race
residing along the sea-coast of Carbery. The isolated
position of the island, and its difficulty of approach,
have kept the population in a comparatively antique
y
114 Sketches in Garbery.
state and distinct condition during the lapse of cen-
turies, so far as nationality and descent. Irish is
still the language spoken by nearly all. In features
and complexion they bear a strong resemblance to
the Spanish race in the Basque provinces and Gal-
licia in the north of Spain, from which provinces,
their progenitors migrated to Carbery, and with
which country they always preserved a close com-
munication down to the 17th century.
Until the year 1710 Cape was a sort of established
monarchy, an " Imperium in Imperio," and an O'Dris-
coll — the head of the clan — was always styled "King
of the Island." They had a code of laws handed
down by tradition from father to son, and as strictly
obeyed and rigorously administered as if they had
been drawn up by a Solon or Justinian. The
majority have now become obsolete, not only in
practice, but even in name. The general punish-
ment was by fine, unless some grave offence was
committed, and then the delinquent was banished
for ever to the mainland, which was looked upon as
a sentence worse even than death.
The climate is remarkably healthy, not more so
in the world, as evidenced by the longevity of the
inhabitants, their stalwart frames, healthy appear-
ance, trivial mortality, and freedom from disease.
They are a quiet, peaceable, and industrious people,
and possess greater gravity of manner, more ponde-
rous bodies, and are built in a larger mould than the 1
more vivacious and excitable race residing on the
mainland. Some of the O'Driscolls were men of
wonderful stature.
A celebrated giant lived here about a century ago.
He was named Cruathur O'Careavaun (Cornelius
O'Driscoll). He was eight feet high, stout in
Sketches in Garbery. 115
proportion, and a man of incredible strength.
Many strange stories are related about him
amongst others, on an occasion when a whole
ship's company in Cork harbour failed to weigh
a _ ship's anchor, even with the assistance of a
windlass, the giant, unaided, by the strength
of his arms, raised it easily, to the great amaze-
ment of the spectators. (Cr eclat Judaeits Appella !)
A short time before his death, he retired, in hermit
style, to Dunanore Castle, where he died. His
shin bone used to be exhibited as a curiosity, but
is bone-dust now. Some of his grandchildren still
live on the island; and many of the natives,
even at present, by their large stature and great
strength of body, uphold the credit and tradition
of their ancestors having been a race of giants
such as we never witness in this degenerate age.
The grave where the_ giant was buried is still
pointed out near Trakeiran, within the precincts
of Kilkieran burial ground. It is about 8| feet
long, with a rude uninscribed headstone. Popular
tradition, and the exceptionally large dimensions of
the grave identify the locality.
A coastguard station was formerly established
close to South Harbour, but it has not been occu-
pied for many years.
116 Sketches in Garbery,
CHAPTER VIII.
1
'
The Steams, Lough Hyne — The rapids, lake, surrounding moun-
tains, said by geologists to be the result of volcanic action — Scenery
in the neighbourhood — Poem on Lough Hyne — Legend about the
old castle — Labhra Longseach — Bill Barrett's midnight Visit in
search of the golden treasure, hidden beneath the castle — Saint
Bridget's chapel and well — Pillar stone and sculptured cross —
Story connected with them — View from the adjoining eminence.
To the west of Hare Island, formerly called Innis-
driscoll, lie the Skeams (islands of St. Keam), which
are close to the entrance of Whitehall or Rincolisky
bay. There are two islands of this name, the western
one being the smaller of the two. Situated upon it
were the ruins of an ancient chapel, erected in honour
and to the memory of St. Keam, who is said to have
lived in the 5th century. This St. Keam was related
to St. Kieran, the patron saint of Cape. Here, in
former times, numerous interments used to be
made, persons on the mainland bringing the remains
of their deceased relatives to the island that they
might be buried in the sacred precincts of the old
chapel, over which the memory of St. Keam had
thrown so great a halo. A few years ago, by the
undermining action of the sea, a portion of the cliff,
near the site of the old chapel, was detached from
the mainland, and the soil being broken up to a con-
siderable depth at the same time, exposed to view
numerous skulls and other bones of persons, the
period of whose interment is unknown.
Between Baltimore and Castlehaven, about four . ,.
Sketches in Carter y. 117
miles to the west of the latter place, is situated one
of the most beautiful inlets of the sea along our
coast, Lough Hyne, which, from the singularity of its
formation, and the isolated picturesqueness of its
scenery, .has always - excited the admiration and
wonder of visitors and tourists. Approaching Lough
Hyne from the sea, we first of all pass through a nar-
row creek, hemmed in on either side by craggy cliffs,
whose barren sides are almost totally destitute of
vegetation. This creek expands slightly close to its
entrance into the Lough, so as to form a small bay
called Barlogue, at the west side, near which on the
rising ground is situated the pretty, snug, and neat
little coastguard station of Barlogue.* The sandy
bottom of this creek, which is covered with different
specimens of seaweed, in former years produced beds
of diminutive oysters, with semi-transparent shells,
and fish within, so delicate and insinuating in its
flavour as to delight the palates of the greatest epi-
cures that ever lived since the days of Lucullus. I
am sorry to say that these welcome tenants have
almost entirely deserted their former abodes, for
reasons best known to themselves, and are rarely
seen now-a-days.
To observe the narrow strait which joins Lough
Hyne to the sea to advantage, the visitor should pass
through it in a boat on a fine moonlight evening,
when he may imagine that he is rowing through a
chain o£«mall lakes, the channel alternately widening
and contracting, and the high, rocky, and desolate-
looking cliffs on either side being reflected in the
water — the whole producing a much more agreeable
* This coastguard station was remoTed a few yaars ago to a
neighbouring bay called Ballyally, or Tra le Mo, close to Lough
Hyne — a solitary and secluded spot.
118 Sketches in Carbenj.
effect than when seen by daylight. Where the
waters of the creek join those of the lake, is a narrow
entrance, through which, at the ebb-tide, the waters
of the lake rush at considerable speed, boiling,
bounding, and bubbling, against a stony, shelving
bottom, and forming a sort of waterfall, famiKarly
known as " the Eapids," over which, at full tide, the
water is comparatively still, being then on a level
with tbat of the lake. One of the chief amusements
for the visitors toLougb Hyne is the shooting of the
Eapids at the ebb tide. This is accompHshed in a
strong boat, steered by an oar. Having approached
the mouth of the lake, the boat is suddenly whisked
into the rushing tide, and makes its descent into the
smoother waters of the creek at railway speed, caus-
ing the occupants much the same sensation as a novice
in horse-riding experiences when going over a high
jump on a spirited steed. "Woe betide the unlucky
sight-seers, especially if they be of the fairer sex,
should the boat come " broadside on," as sailors term
it, during her trip down the Eapids, as she would
be, most probably, capsized, or swamped, and all her
valuable cargo left floundering in the waves. There
is no fear for them, however, as long as they trust the
guidance of their boat to the steady hand and keen
eye of the illustrious Bill Barrett, the most trust-
worthy and experienced boatman along the coast.
"We must now enter the Lough itself, and make a
few remarks on that most interesting locality. If
we are to believe geologists, the planet we now
inhabit, before it was fitted for the abode of man-
kind and assumed its present condition, was subjected,
on a grand and extensive scale, to subterranean con-
vulsions and volcanic eruptions, such as we witness
in a minor degree at the present time in the vol-
Sketches in Carbery. 1,19
canoes of Vesuvius and those along the western
coast of South America. Earthquakes have also
been, at all periods, prevalent along the American
coast, especially within the last three years, when
an earthquake unparalleled in modern or even
ancient times devastated the greater part of Peru
and Ecuador, destroying thousands of lives, annihi-
lating millions of property, levelling to the dust
ancient and extensive cities. More recently still,
San Francisco has been visited by some severe shocks
of earthquake, and even our own Emerald Isle has
been reported to have vibrated slightly under the
effects of one.
However, to return to our subject, after this
wandering excursion : it is supposed by geologists
that Lough Hyne owed its existence to one of these
subterranean commotions, or volcanic eruptions, and
the reasons assigned are the following, viz. — that it
would first of all be highly improbable so deep a
bed (25 to 30 fathoms in some places) could be ex-
cavated by the streams which enter the lake, or that
the action of the sea in so completely land-locked a
place, would be sufficient to accomplish such a state
of things. The narrow communication with the sea,
and the high, precipitous land surrounding the Lough,
some of which land is of a volcanic formation, are
all in favour of this theory, viz., that in former ages,
some antediluvian period or other, I dare say; what
now forms the bottom of the lake was elevated ground,
and that this suddenly subsided during an earth-
quake, the sea at the same time running in through
a narrow chasm, which opened out between the rocks
towards the coast, filled up the vacuum so formed, and
called into existence a lake which we now call Lough
Hyne (Irish "Loch-ffloimhmf&eeplsikB). — Joyce.
1
120 Sketches in Carlery.
One of the most striking features in the scenery
about Lough Hyne is the high and solitary mountain,
which rises close to the water's edge at the west side
of the lake. This mountain is called in Irish " Knock
Camach," pronounced couma (the crooked hill), or,
more familiarly, The Soldier's Hill. It is related
that, a good many years ago, an adventurous soldier
endeavoured to rob a hawk's nest, situated on a high,
projecting rock on the summit of the mountain, and
that, having missed his footing, he fell down the
precipice and was killed, and thus originated the
name of The Soldier's Hill. The best view of Lough
Hyne may be obtained from Knock Caima at its south
side. The visitor passes along a winding path, the
mountains at either side being thickly wooded,
and after a short and easy ascent comes to a
place called "The Look-out," which consists of a
projecting mound from the hill side, covered with
a verdant sod, on which a person can recline at
leisure.
From this "Look-out" the lover of scenery obtains
a view, which even though limited in extent, is un-
surpassed in the opinions of many by any portion
of the far-famed Lakes of Killarney. Beneath lies
the Lough, which is circular in shape, and about
two miles in circumference. Near its mouth is situ-
ated a small island, 'close to the eastern shore, on
which, until recently, the ruined walls of an old
castle stood. It belonged to the O'Driscolls, and
was intended to command and protect the entrance
into the lake from the sea. It is about six years ago
since the walls fell down, and at present only the foun-
dation of this old castle is to be seen. Between the
island and the western shore the lake in some places
has been ascertained to be 30 fathoms in depth. Smith
St. ^^±^z*.-
Sketches in Carter y. l2l
says that seals breed in the lake, but I believe this
is not an established fact.
To a person observing the lake from " The Look-
out" there does not appear to be any communication
■with the sea, as the island intercepts the view of the
entrance. A neck of land stretching across from
Barlogue towards the mainland at the opposite side,
bounds Lough Ine on the south, and separates it
from the sea, which can be observed distinctly to a
considerable extent from Knock Caima. It is this cir-
cumstance which makes the scenery so picturesquely
beautiful and singular, for whilst we gaze upon the
placid waters of the quiet Lough, scarcely rippled
by a breeze, and admire the surrounding hills and
rocks, which seem fashioned by nature to please
the eye, we at the same time get a view of the wide
Atlantic in the foreground, which perhaps is
covered with crested waves, roaring and dashing
themselves into mist and spray against the neigh-
bouring cliffs.
It is well worth the toil to ascend Knock Caima
to its summit, for there we get a very extensive view
of the sea coast stretching away towards the Mizen
Head, which well repays our trouble in climbing
the mountain's side. We see " Carbery's Hundred
Isles" scattered along the coast, and in the distance,
if the weather be fine and the atmosphere clear, we
can observe — indistinctly, of course — the mountains
of Kerry. The real beauty of the entire view
should be seen and not described, in order to appre-
ciate it as it deserves.
Intimately connected with the name of Lough Ine
is the memory of a much- esteemed and deservedly-
respected inhabitant of Skibbereen, the late D.
M'Carthy, Esq., of Grlencurragh, who built a most
picturesquely-situated and graceful-looking villa
122 Sketches in Carhery.
near the lake, where lie lived for many years, and
contributed greatly— so far as the art of man can
contribute by planting, building, &c. — to increase
the beauties of this charming spot. I cannot better
conclude the present article, than by introducing a
poem, written about twenty years ago, anonymously,
by a visitor to Lough Ine,* who, in the choicest and
most expressive language, paid the following very
graceful tribute to the romantic beauty of this most
interesting locality : —
lough ISE.
(A beautiful salt-^ater lake in the county of Cork, near Baltimore.)
I know a lake where the cool waves break,
And softly fall on the silver sand ;
And no steps intrude on that solitude,
And no voice, save mine, disturbs the strand.
And a mountain bold, like a giant of old,
Turned to stone by some magic spell,
TJprears in might his misty height,
And his craggy sides are wooded well.
In the midst doth smile a little isle,
And its verdure shames the emerald's green ;
On its grassy side, in ruined pride,
A castle of old is darkling seen.
On its lofty crest the wild bird's nest,
In its halls the sheep good shelter find ;
And the ivy shades where a hundred blades
Were hung when the owner in sleep reclined.
That chieftain of old, could he now behold
His lordly tower a shepherd's pen,
His corse, ^ng dead, from its narrow bed
- With shame and anger would rise again.
'Tis sweet to gaze when the sun's bright rays
Are cooling themselves in the trembling wave —
But 'tis sweeter far when the evening star
Shines like a tear at friendship's grave.
* The real name cf the writer was FitzJames O'Brien, a solicitor,
and native of the citv of Cork.
Sketches in Oarbery. 123
There the hollow shells, through their wreathed cells,
Make music on the lonely shore,
As the summer breeze, through the distant trees,
Murmurs in fragrant breathings o'er.
And the sea-weed shines like the hidden mines
Of the fairy cities beneath the sea ;
And the wave- washed stones are bright as the thrones
Of the ancient kings of Araby.
If it were my lot in that fairy spot
To live for ever and dream 'twere mine,
Courts might woo and kings pursue,
Ere I would leave thee, loved Lough Ine.
The following interesting legend is related con-
cerning Lough Hyne, -which I daresay has been
often told in connection with other castles through-
out Ireland. The narrator, Bill Barrett, the "genius
loci" of Lough Hyne, boldly, however, asserts that
this is the true and original seat where the hero of
the tale resided, and I will accordingly relate as
literally as possible his account of that famous hero
of romance in Irish history, known as "Labhra
Loingseach."
In the olden times a celebrated king, named
Labhra Loingseach lived in Lough Hyne Castle, or
some other building occupying the same site; he was
a man of incredible strength, and ruled the sur-
rounding country with despotic sway. He possessed
some of the attributes which pagan writers confer
upon Pan, and to complete his character, he had two
ears of an ass on his head, like the celebrated Midas,
king of Phrygia, which blemish the wicked old
tyrant carefully concealed from the knowledge of his
subjects, as he was very vain of his personal appear-
ance, and greatly devoted to the fair sex.
It was Labhra's custom to have himself shaved
once a week, and he compensated the barber on each
124 Sketches in Carhery.
occasion by hanging him to a tree outside the castle,
for fear he might, at an unguarded moment, divulge
the secret about the ass's ears. On one occasion,
however, the last of the barbers requested as a dying
favour, before he was executed, that he might have
a final interview with his mother. The request being
granted, by way of revenge he whispered sotto
voce to the ground (and very probably to his mother
also) that Labhra had the ears of an ass.
The barber was hanged, but in due course of time
a reed grew over the spot where the mysterious
whisper was uttered. A passer-by on some occasion
or other, one who had a musical taste, happened to
cut the reed, and made a " jocaun " (a sort of penny
whistle) of it : he essayed a tune upon the jocaun,
but the only tune that it could play was —
" Dha cluais assail ar Labhra Loinseach."
" Two ears of an ass on Labhra Loinseach."
Immediately all the reeds in the lake, the trees in
the woods, and even the stones in the fields, joined
in one and the same universal chorus, and the lam-
pooned Labhra was so overwhelmed with shame and
confusion that he was obliged to fly the country,
and was last observed driving a splendid carriage
and four horses, with golden shoes and gold mounted
harness, over the surface of the water near Barlogue ;
hence the name of the latter place (the top of the
weeds).
In a remote corner of the castle, under a flag-
stone, a crock of gold is supposed to have been buried
deep in the ground at some remote period : such is
the tradition amongst the peasantry. Our informant,
Bill Barrett, touchingly describes how, influenced by
the desire of suddenly amassing a fortune, and with
Sketches in Carbery. 125
full belief in the stories handed down from the old
times, he approached the spot at midnight upon a
certain occasion, armed with a spade and shovel.
It was a fine moonlight night. As he came near
the exact locality where the golden store lay hidden,
he observed sitting quietly on the flagstone a large
black cat, with a very sinister expression of coun-
tenance, mewing and spitting in a most spiteful
manner. Suddenly, to his surprise and horror, the
cat was metamorphsed into a black dog as big as a
cow, and every bark he gave made the waters of the
lake terribly agitated and the surrounding moun-
tains re-echo with a dismal sound, while at the
same time Bill's body shook with terror, and, horror-
stricken, he was riveted to the spot. Out of the
dog's mouth and eyes issued long streams of un-
earthly fire, and the very walls of the castle vibrated
and tottered as if they would bury poor adventurous
Bill under the ruins. Like .ZEneas, in the "iEneid,"
he might have said, " Obstupui steteruntque comae
et vox faucibus hsesit."
Suddenly the dog bounded at one jump from the
castle into the lake, and the waves he raised were so
high that they almost reached the sky, and nearly
drowned the treasure-seeker.
Bill, as soon as he recovered from the " wakeness"
that came over him, immediately cut his stick, and
returned home " a wiser but a sadder man," almost
dead with fright : he fell sick, and did not recover
from the effects of his midnight rambles for three
months ; and all the wealth of the world, he says,
would not induce him to revisit the castle at midnight.
He still verily believes that the black cat was the
departed spirit of Labhra Longseach, guarding the
hidden treasure, and that the same cat can only be
I
126 Sketches in Carberu.
shot by a steel bullet of some undiscovered shape ;
on which occasion there will be free access to the
crock of gold. He also asserts (a strange coinci-
dence) that shortly after the above-mentioned adven-
ture the castle walls fell down, owing to the severe,
shaking they got from the jump of the dog into the
lake.
In the foregoing legend we can clearly trace the
great similarity between the stories related of Labhfa
Longseagh, by Keating and others, including Bill
Barrett, and that of Midas, king of Phrygia, in
works on heathen mythology, both as regards the
golden treasures, and the ass's ears. It would
seem as if the fabulous anecdote about Midas had
been engrafted on the stock of Irish legendary lore,
so close is the affinity between both ; the name of
the Irish hero of romance, Labhra, being merely
substituted for the Asiatic king ; all the other cir-
cumstances being nearly similar in their details —
" Mutate nomine de te fabula narratur."
It is not at all improbable that the Milesians or
Phoenicians originally brought the legend with them
from Asia Minor into Ireland, where it became
adopted and naturalised — hence the permanence of
the tradition related by the peasantry of the south,
very few of whom were acquainted with the story of
Midas and the ass's ears.
The readers of ancient classics are familiar with
the amusing and interesting fable about Midas, king
of Phrygia, in Asia Minor, how Bacchus for his
hospitality to Silenus granted him his wish that
everything he touched should be converted into
gold. How afterwards his imprudent avarice was
nearly the cause of starving him to death, and Bac-
Sketches in Carbery. 127
chus, taking pity on him, allowed Midas to wash him-
self in the river Pactolus, whose sands were turned
into gold, and the spell was hroken. Subsequently the
foolish Midas adjudged Pan to be a superior musician
to Apollo, whereupon the latter was so indignant,
that he changed his ears into those of an ass, to show
his stupidity and ignorance of true melody. The
story further relates how one of Midas's domestics,
who used to cut his hair, whispered to a hole in the
ground which he had dug that the king had the
ears of an ass. At the completion of a year a number
of reeds grew over the spot where the whisper had
been made, " Sylvse habent aures." The reeds when
agitated by the wind revealed the secret, and uttered
the same sounds as that which had been buried,
" sub auras," viz., that Midas most undoubtedly had
the ears of an ass. In " Ovid's Metamorphoses,"
Fab. v., Book si., the story of Midas is very graphi-
cally and beautifully told.
On the south-west side of the lake, close to the
Rapids, and in a secluded and sequestered nook, are
the ruins of a small chapel called (Teampleen
Breeda) dedicated to St. Brigid. It has all the
appearances of being very ancient ; the walls are of
rough, unhewn stone, placed together without the
use of mortar, whilst the miniature window of the
chancel is a mere loophole. The dimensions are not
more than 15 to 20 feet long, by 8 feet wide, and
the enclosed area of the aisle is covered with rude
headstones and flags, under which the mortal re-
mains of a past generation lie interred. There is no
road or pathway leading to the chapel, and the tra-
dition is that the congregation came or stole to their
devotions in boats up the creek from the neighbour-
ing places, perhaps at times with fear and trembling.
128 Sketches in Garbery.
We must presume that not a tithe of them could be
accommodated within the walls.
Close to the little chapel, on a verdant knoll, may
be seen a broken pillar-stone, supported between two
headstones, with an ancient cross sculptured on it
near the base. The tradition is that this pillar-stone
was always looked upon by the people as a relic of
sanctity, some saintly*person being buried near the .
spot, or having engraved the cross upon the stone.
However, on some distant occasion, an adventurous
and fool-hardy coastguardsman determined to put
the matter to the test ; so he had the Gothic audacity
' to remove the relic to ..his own house during the
night ; next morning, however, it was in its original
site again. Nothing daunted he again removed it,
and dropped it into the centre of the lake ; the fol-
lowing day the stone again resumed its former situa-
tion near the chapel. Enraged beyond measure, he
vowed its destruction, and taking a sledge-hammer
with him he made a most savage attack upon the
unoffending object of his wrath; but, as "Bill
Barrett" asserts in the most positive terms, although
he broke the pillar stone in two, if he was hammer-
ing away until the. day of judgment he could not
injure that portion of the stone on which the cross
was sculptured. The coastguardman immediately
left the country, and was shortly after this occurrence
drowned. Such is the popular version of the story
in the neighbourhood of Lough Hyne.
A short but steep ascent from Teampleen-
Breeda brings us to Tobar-Breeda, St. Brigid's
"Well — a small hollow in the solid rock — at the
margin of which may be observed an impression in
the rock said to be caused by St. Brigid's knees ;
which impression was kept up by the fact of nume-
Sketches in Garbery. ■ 129
rous devotees selecting the place as a suitable locality
for prayer. This well in former times was much
frequented on May Eve by pilgrims. From a neigh-
bouring elevation we obtain a very charming view
of Lough Hyne, calmly reposing in its sheltered
bed, at the foot of the bold and picturesque Knock-
Couma, and fthe solitary nook, where the ruins of
the chapel are almost concealed from view by tangled
briars and waving ferns; the creek, winding its un-
dulating course to the sea, is on our right hand,
whilst over the summit of an adjoining cliff we can
get a bird's-eye view of the quaint-looking " Stags,"
surrounded by the deep and dark blue ocean.
10
130 Sketches in Curler y.
CHAPTEE IX.
Coast line from Lough Hyne to Castlehaven — Tithe riots — Nayal
engagement in Castletownsend Harbour, between the Spanish
forces under Don Pedro de Zuibar and the English under
Admiral Levison, on the 6th December, 1601 — Battle of Kinsale —
Departure of O'Donnell from Castlehaven for Spain — Mr. Froude's
discovery about the real cause of O'Donnell's death — Interesting
relic of the O'Donnells in the Jtoyal Irish Academy — Bemarkable
Cathair and ruins of Clochan on Knockdromma Hill, near Castle-
townsend — Beautiful view from it, &c.
From Lough. Hyne to Castlehaven the coast line
presents a great variety of scenery, and a ride along
the coast hetween both places affords some very fine
sea views. The land is chiefly rocky and barren,
interspersed here and there with verdant cultivated
patches, the most prominent object being the promon-
tory of Toe-head. Numerous small bays indent the
land, and give a picturesque character to scenery
which would be otherwise extremely wild. "We
notice the following inlets starting from Lough
Hyne : — Tralispeen (the smooth strand), Tragomina
(the strand of the oak tree), formerly called Fennis-
cove, Toe-head Bay, which runs in and forms Trale-
goch. Here occurred the celebrated "Tithe Eiots"
in 1823, in which a Mr. Morrit prominently figured,
and which were greatly instrumental in causing the
abolition of that system of taxation throughout Ire-
land. The immediate cause of "The Eiots" was
the distraining of five sheep for a tithe of five shil-
lings, which were bought afterwards by Mr Morrit
under the distress for a shilling each. (See Moore's
Sketches in Carbery. 131
"Memoirs of Captain Bock") A collision took
place between* the police and people, attended with
loss of life on both sides. After passing the bold
rocky, and precipitous promontory of Toe-head, we
come to Sandycove, formerly called Torbay, near
which is Traghcarta, aDd finally we enter the
harbour of Castlehaven, which nest commands our
particular attention.
Castlehaven was anciently called Grlanbarrahane,
after St. Barrahane,* who was the patron saint of
- the place, and the ruins of the chapel, which was
dedicated to him, may still be observed not far from
the ancient castle, on the west side of the harbour
and situated near a deep, rocky glen, which in con-
junction with the name of the saint, has given origin
to the name Grlenbarrahane. As far back as the
beginning of the 17th century we find it was styled
Cuan-an-Chaislean by the Irish, Castlehaven by the
English, and Porto Costello by the Spanish, all
which terms have the same signification. We will
imagine ourselves for a moment carried back to the
early years of the 17th century, a period when the
usually quiet waters of Castlehaven were the scene
of _ busy strife and contention, and we will at once
proceed to discuss the interesting and stirrin°- events
which made Castlehaven a memorable and important
place even at that remote time.
Those who are conversant with Irish History will
remember that in the year 1601, in the time of
Queen Elizabeth, when Tyrone and O'Donnell in
the north, and the Earl of Desmond in the south
had raised the standard of revolt, a large force of
* In some ancient Irish manuscripts St. Barrahane is mentioned
as a prophet, one of his prophecies being that the Danes or Esterlings
would invade Ireland,
10*
132 Sketches in Carbery.
Spaniards, amounting to 5,000 men, landed in Kin-
sale, on the 23rd September, under the command
of Don Juan d'Aquila, in order to assist the Irish
chieftains, who had been anxiously awaiting for some
months back this welcome addition to their forces.
The Spaniards seized on Kinsale and Rincorran, a
castle on the opposite side of the harbour, but
were soon closely besieged by the Lord Deputy
Mountjoy and the Lord President Sir George Carew.
On the 28th November, 1601, a reinforcement of
six Spanish ships, with 2,000 men on board, and
stores, ordnance, and ammunition in abundance,
' arrived in Castlehaven, under the command of Don
Pedro de Zuibar, upon which occurrence all the
country from Kinsale westward declared for the
Spaniards. Donough O'Driscoll, who was Lord of
Castlehaven at the time, delivered up his castle to
them, and his example was followed by the chief-
tains in Baltimore, Bearhaven, &c, to whom presents
and munitions of war were sent by the Spanish com-
mander, and titles and posts of command bestowed
upon them. "When news reached Kinsale that the
Spaniards had landed in Castlehaven, Admiral
Levison, who was in command of the naval squadron
in the former place, immediately sailed out of the
harbour, and proceeded to Castlehaven, where he
arrived on the 6th December, 1601, and attacked
the Spanish Admiral. During the engagement he
drove the ships of the Admiral, Yice- Admiral, and
two others on shore, but having gone aground
himself, owing to contrary winds, he lay exposed
for twenty-four hours, to a battery, which had been*
erected by the Spaniards, on shore. During this time
he received 300 shot in his masts, hull and rigging,
but, the wind taking a favourable change, he warped
Sketches in Carberp. 1.33
his vessel out of the harbour, and returned to Kinsale
in a very shattered condition.
In the meantime O'Donnell, who was on his way
from the north to relieve the Spaniards, hy a series
of rapid marches and counter-marches, managed to
evade the Lord President's army, and taking a cir-
cuitous route joined the Spaniards at Castlehaven,
and then marched towards Kinsale, and comhined
his forces with those of Tyrone and Tyrrell, with
whom he held a council of war. On the 23rd De-
cember, 1601, the battle of Kinsale took place, be-
tween the English forces, under Lord Mountjoy, on
the one side, and the Spanish and Irish army,
under Tyrone, O'Donnell, and Tyrrell on the other,
ending in the total defeat of the latter, who left
1,200 dead on the field. A day or two after this,
fresh supplies arrived at Castlehaven from Spain,
but, having heard the news of the fall of Kinsale,
they returned to Spain on the 6th January, 1602,
taking with them O'Donnell, Kedmund, Burke, &c.
On the 2nd January, 1602, Don Juau d'Aquila,
the Spanish commander, surrendered Kinsale to the
English. The terms of capitulation were as fol-
lows : — " That the Spaniards should evacuate Kin-
sale, Baltimore, Castlehaven, and Bearhaven, that
they should have liberty to carry into Spain all their
arms, ammunition, treasure, &c, and that they should
be provided with shipping and victuals to transport
them if they paid for the same."
Of the Irish chieftains who accompanied the
Spaniards on their departure from Castlehaven, by
far the most illustrious was Hugh Roe O'Donnell
(Ked Hugh O'Donnell), Lord of Tyrconnell. We
refer those who would wish to study the early life,
adventures, exploits, and checkered career of this
134 Sketches in Carhery.
renowned chieftain, to the " Annals of the Four Mas-
ters," and the "Lives of Illustrious and Distinguished
Irishmen," hy James Wills, A. M., M. E. I. A. ; at
the same time we feel inclined to diverge somewhat
from the direct line of narrative, whilst following
the fortunes of O'Donnell into Spain, and take a
glance at the closing scenes in the life of this indomi-
tahle warrior. In the words of the historian : "On
the 6th day of the month of January, 1602, O'Don-
nell, with his heroes, took shipping at Cuan-an-
Caslain (Castlehaven), and the hreath of the first
wind that rose wafted them over the hoisterous
ocean." They landed on the 14th of the same
month in the harbour near Corunna, a celebrated
city in the province of Grallicia, in Spain. This city
has been made more memorable still in modern
times by the battle fought in its neighbourhood,
between the French and English, in January, 1809,
when the renowned general Sir John Moore was mor-
tally wounded.
Near Corunna was situated the tower of Breogan,
built in former times by Breogan, the grandfather
of Milesius. It was from this place the Milesians
had set out, according to tradition, on their expe-
dition to Ireland, where they conquered the Tuatha
de Danaans, 1300 years before the Christian era.
O'Donnell looked upon this as an omen of success,
having landed in the country of his ancestors. He
was received with great honour by the Earl of
Caraceno, a powerful Spanish nobleman, who pre-
sented him with a thousand ducats (a very respect-
able present at the time), and conducted him with
great state to Zamora, in Castile, where the king
of Spain, Philip III., was then residing. O'Don-
nell was well received by Philip, who granted
Sketches in Carbery. 135
him all the requests he made, and promised to fit
out another expedition for Ireland in his favour.
The king desired him to return to Corunna, and
await there until the expedition was ready for
departure. In the meantime news reached Spain
of the capture of Dun hoy, and the overthrow of the
Irish leaders in Munster.
For eight or nine months O'Donnell remained at
Corunna, daily expecting to hear from the king,
hut Philip had either forgotten his promise, or failed
to fulfil it, thinking the chances of success remote
and improhahle. The restless and energetic soul of
O'Donnell could no longer hrook delay ; he set out
for Yallodolid, where the king was holding court
at the time, hut he did not live to reach the end of
his journey ; he fell ill at Simaneas, ahout two miles
from Yallodolid, and died there on the 20th Sep-
temher, 1602, in the 29th year of his age, nine
months after his arrival in Spain. His hody was
conveyed to the king's palace, in Vallodolid, in a four-
wheeled hearse, surrounded by all the great officers of
state, andhe was interredin the monastery of St. Fran-
cis, in the Chapter, with great pomp and ceremony.
One of the most interesting relics in the Royal
Irish Academy is the ancient casket which con-
tains a fragment of a copy of the Psalms written
by St. Columbkille. The casket consists of three
cases, the outer one of which is of solid silver, beauti-
fully designed, and studded over with precious gems.
The enclosed manuscript, which is thirteen centuries
old, was styled, " The Cathach or Battle Book of the
O'Donnells," and was carried in the van by them
when going into battle. There was a prophecy
current that as long as "The Cathach" remained
uncaptured the O'Donnells could not sustain defeat.
L
136
Sketches in Carbery.
O'Donnell's biographer, who was also his secretary
and constant companion, gives the following quaint
description of his character : —
" Hugh Roe O'Donnell, on the very first year of
his government, was popular, familiar, joyous, pro-
gressive, attentive, devastating, invasive, and des-
tructive ; and in these qualities he continued to
increase every year to the end of his days." In the
"Annals of the Four Masters," the writer, when re-
ferring to his death, breaks forth in a most mournful
strain, and passes a warm and eloquent eulogium on
the virtues and warlike qualities of the renowned
Hugh. Father Mooney, the Franciscan, who was
contemporary with O'Donnell, thus describes his
personal appearance: "He was of middle height,
ruddy, of comely grace, and beautiful to behold.
His voice was like the clarion of a silver trum-
pet," &c.
Mr. Froude, that acute discoverer of the missing
links of history, whilst poring over the ancient
documents in the State Paper Office, detected an
interesting manuscript, one of the " lettres de cachet"
which formerly passed between Carew and Mount-
joy, two leading actors in some of the tragedies
of a bygone age. This historical skeleton, which
had been lying concealed from the public gaze up
to the present, beneath the accumulated dust of cen-
turies, wrapt in mystery and buried in oblivion, Mr.
Froude has brought to light and exposed in all its
grim and unseemly proportions in his work entitled
" The English in Ireland," from which I beg leave
to quote the following extracts regarding the real
truth of the sad, untimely, and tragic fate of the
fearless Red Hugh.
Preliminary Discourse, page 63 : — " Hugh ODon-
Sketches in C artery. 137
nell, who had gone to Spain for help, died at the
castle of Simancas, possibly by poison." Foot note —
"On October 9th, 1602, Sir Greorge Carew writes to
Lord Mountjoy : ' O'Donnell is dead ; the merchant
that bringeth me the news I do trust, and I do
think it will fall out he is poisoned by James Blake,
of whom your lordship hath been formerly acquainted.
At his coming into Spain he was suspected by
O'Donnell, because he had embarked at Cork, but
afterwards he insinuated his access, and O'Donnell
is dead. He never told the President in what
manner he would kill him, but did assure him it
should be effected'" (" Calendar, 1602," pp. 350,51,
Froude). The foregoing story too truly verifies the
old Latin aphorism : " Inter arma leges silent."
To return to Castlehaven. After the departure
of the Spaniards and O'Donnell in 1602, Captain
Roger Harvey, to whom a commission had been
granted for the government of Carbery, by Lord
Deputy Mountjoy, entered the harbour in command
of the Royal forces, and took possession of Castle-
haven on the 12th February, 1602. When the
Spaniards had evacuated the castle, according to the
treaty made at the capitulation of Kinsale, the
O'Driseolls (the original owners), who looked upon
themselves as the rightful heirs, took possession of
the place, and when Harvey arrived the Spaniards
were assaulting and undermining the castle in order
to get it into their own hands again. The appear-
ance of the English forces on the stage, however,
altered the state of affairs ; the O'Driseolls evacuated
the castle immediately, delivering it up to the
Spaniards, who had lost two soldiers during the as-
sault, and they in their turn surrendered to Harvey,
who took quiet possession of the castle. Never per-
JlJj
138
Sketches in Carhery.
haps was the old axiom so forcibly illustrated, that
"Fortune is a fickle goddess," more especially in 'war-
like affairs.
Castlehaven, after the departure of the O'Driscolls,
became the property of the Audley family. George
Tbuchet, Lord Audley, Governor of Utrecht, who
had a command in the English army during the
siege of Kinsale, and who was severely wounded
during the battle which took place in its vicinity,
was created first Earl of Castlehaven, in 1616, by
letters patent in the time of James I. The title was
enjoyed by this family until the year 1777, when it
was abolished. In 1645 the castle was occupied by
the Parliamentary forces, under the command of
Captain "William Salmon. At this period one of the
most prominent men in the country was the Earl of
Castlehaven, who was appointed by general consent
commander-in-chief of the Irish Royalist forces.
Castletownsend, the original seat of the Townsend
family in Ireland, was anciently called Sleugleigh
(Smith), which was built originally by and belonged
to the M'Carthys. The old castle, the ruins of which
can be observed within the demesne, was attacked
in the year 1690 by some of James the Second's
troops, under the command of O'Driscoll. They
were repulsed, and their commander slain ; but
shortly afterwards Mac Fineen O'Driscoll, with a
force of 400 men, attacked the place, and compelled
the garrison to surrender ; subsequently Colonel
Colliford attacked O'Driscoll, and retook the castle.
The scenery in the neighbourhood of Castlehaven
is picturesque and diversified in its character. It
can be seen to most advantage in the autumn of the
year, when the foliage of the trees has assumed a
varying tint from green to russet brown, and when
'■-
Sketches in Carbery. 139
all nature has put on a soft, rich, and mellow appear-
ance. From the eminence on which Rahine Castle
stands we ohtain a charming panoramic view of
Castlehaven harbour and the surrounding scenery.
In the distance out to sea, facing the entrance of the
harbour, those quaint, peculiar-looking rocks, " The
Stags," open on our view, reminding one forcibly of
the extensive ruins of an ancient tower or castle, or
calling to mind at times the description we read in
legendary tales of the "phantom ships at sea."
The coast line on the west side of the harbour is
broken in its continuity by several points of land,
which jut out into the sea. Toe-head Point forms
the extremity of the land lying some distance out-
side the harbour's mouth, which is bounded on
the west by the next point, called Traghcarta. Be-
tween Toe-head and Traghcarta the sea runs in, and
forms a small open bay called Sandycove or Tor-
bay. The cliffs in this bay are high, and furnished
with numerous caves, the entrance to which is gene-
rally low and circular ; internally, however, they are
excavated to a considerable height, and run in for
some distance. When a boat enters within the
gloomy recesses of the cavern, if there be a " swell
on" outside, the sea rising up closes the orifice
almost entirely, at the same time raising the boat
up towards the roof, and leaving the visitors for
awhile in nearly complete darkness. All these caves
are frequented by pigeons and sea fowl in great
numbers.
Off Traghcarta, near the harbour's mouth, lies
Horse Island, which divides the entrance into two
channels, the eastern one of which is used by vessels
drawing ten feet of water and upwards. This island
is the property of Thomas Somerville,Esq., D.L. The
7
140 Sketches in Carbery.
herbage on it, according to Smith, was considered to
have great virtue, in restoring to condition diseased
and impoverished horses. The Squince Island, in the
parish of Myross, was also celebrated for producing
a similar kind of herbage. Between Traghcarta and
the Drishane Point the sea takes a gradual sweep,
forming Castlehaven, or Glenbarrahane Bay, as it
was anciently called.
Tbe historical associations connected with- this
place have been discussed, and it may not be amiss
now to give a descriptive account of the locality.
Close to the sea beach are the ruins of Grlenbarrahane
Castle, built by the O'Driscolls. Although it has
braved the " battle and the breeze" for nearly three
centuries, the walls are still in good preservation ;
the east, north, and south walls are standing, the
western one has fallen down. At the south-west
corner some years ago a spacious and handsome hall-
door of nicely cut freestone was standing, but this
has also disappeared. The western wall is in a tot-
tering condition at present, and shakes and rocks
most ominously with every strong blast of wind. A
long chimney runs through the whole length of the
wall from top to bottom, and in the summer affords a
sheltered retreat to a large colony of bees. Adjoin-
ing this wall is a portion of a side building, which
was formerly attached to the castle. At some dis-
tance from the foundation an arched floor of stone
stretches across from one side of the castle to the
other, dividing it into two stories, which are now
bare and lonely, tenanted only by the fern, moss,
and lichen. A short distance from the castle, and
close to the beach, are situated the graveyard and
the remains of the chapel of St. Barrahane, consist-
ing of a small, triangular wall, the eastern end of
Sketches in Carbery.
141
the chapel, which must have been of diminutive
proportions, and not of much architectural beauty :
there is a low, narrow archway in the centre and at
the bottom of the wall. The graveyard is small in
size : it is the original burying-place of the Townsend,
Atteridge, and Somerville families.
An air of solemn silence and quiet repose hangs
over this lonely and sequestered glen, with its ruined
castle and solitary graveyard, filled with crumbling
monuments and grass-grown graves. How different
must have been the scene in ages past, when the
clamour of war and shout of battle which rang round
O'Driscoll's fortress, made Glenbarrahane re-echo
again ; or, when in calmer and less troubled times,
the congregation knelt in prayer within the walls of
the ancient chapel, so picturesquely situated near
the sea ; but these days are gone, and we can now
look with interest and advantage on the relics and
ruins of the past.
The deep, rocky glen, which runs inland from the
sea about a quarter of a mile towards the rectory of
Castlehaven, is a miniature Dargle in appearance ;
it is wooded on both sides, and there is a pathway
on the north side leading to the rector's house. A
narrow, shallow, murmuring stream runs through
the bosom of the glen, hollowing out for itself a
rocky bed and tortuous course, and forming here
and there clear limpid pools and tiny cascades ;
having passed close to the graveyard, it finally sinks
into the sand on the beach, and disappears from
view. Close to the stream on the south side, and
but a short distance from the graveyard, is situated
the Holy Well, sacred to the memory of St. Barra-
hane : whatever may have been its former condition,
it is insignificant-looking and neglected at present.
Sketches in Carbery.
An old holly tree overshadows the well, its branches
being thickly covered with creeping ivy, and gaily
festooned with white and parti-coloured rags in pro-
fusion, which chronicle the numerous visits of local
pilgrims to this secluded spot ; and certainly a more
appropriate place of prayer for saint or sinner cannot
well be imagined. The memory of the patron, St.
Barrahane, the holy well, the murmuring stream,
the solitary glen, the ancient graveyard, the ruined
chapel, and the sea breaking gently on the beach,
all lend their combined influence —
To form a scene where nature loves to dwell,
And breathe her spirit o'er the lonely dell.
In ancient times, when smuggling was an every-
day occurrence, the hamlet of Grlenbarrahane carried
on a flourishing trade in the contraband line with
the coast of Spain. In those days also (that is about
a century ago) a linen manufactory was established
at Killehangill. However, like many others of a
similar nature throughout the country, it has fallen
to decay for many years. The eastern boundary of
Castlehaven harbour is formed by Eeen Point, or
Galleon Point, as it is sometimes called, which forms
a bluff, rocky promontory. It was here, during the
wars of 1601, that the Spaniards intrenched them-
selves upon the high ground commanding the harbour,
and from this they bombarded Admiral Levison's
ship when she went aground. The Spanish intrench-
ment, resembling an ancient rath, is still to be seen ;
and quite close to it are pointed out numerous little
mounds of earth, the head-stones almost covered by
the soil, where lie the remains of the Spaniards who
had fallen in action or died of disease. The country
people are under the impression that it is the resting-
Sketches in Carbery,
143
place of the Danes. At the extremity of Been Point
are situated the remains of one of the ovens used by
the Spaniards: they consist at present of a pit in the
ground, surrounded by fragments of a circular wall.
The view from Eeen Point up the harbour and out
to sea is extensive and well worth seeing. The har-
bour of Castlehaven, from its entrance, which is about
half a mile across, runs inland a distance of three
miles. The channel is bold and deep, the average
depth of water in the harbour being from fourteen
to thirty feet, and suited for vessels drawing ten
feet.
About midway up the harbour are situated on the
western shore, on the declivity of a hill, the village
and seat of Castletownsend. Adjoining the latter
are the ruins of the castle, the original seat of the
Townsend family, to which allusion has already been
made. Facing Castletownsend at the opposite side
stand the ruins of Eahine Castle, built by the
O'Donovans. Close to the castle a narrow sand spit
projects out into the water from the beach, and this
separates the lower half, called The Harbour proper,
from the upper part, which is called the Eineen
Eiver, and which, taking a winding course about
one mile and a half long, terminates near Eineen
Mills in a ml de sac at Pekeen na Mara Bridge (the
extremity of the sea), on the Skibbereen and Myross
road ; it is properly an estuary of the sea, being salt
water, but is styled a river owing to its winding
course and narrow channel. On the west side, at
the head of this estuary, is situated Eineen House,
the seat of J. H. Swanton, Esq., of modern construc-
tion, but one of the most picturesquely situated
houses in Carbery ; the grounds are laid out with
great taste and skill, and the view, when the tide is
144 Sketches in Carbery.
in, from Pekeen na Mara Bridge, is extremely
pretty.
Townsend, in his work on the " County of Cork,"
gives the following very graphic description of the
scenery along the upper harbour from Castletowns-
end to Bineen : —
" The demesne of Castletownsend, which embraces
both sides of the upper Harbour, or, as it is commonly
called, the Eiver, possesses a diversified richness of
scenery, of which the pencil, not the pen, can give
an adequate idea. The river, alternately contracting
and expanding its winding channel, now coJLLects
into a narrow strait, now spreads into an expansive
lake. The hills, which rise from its shores at either
side — sometimes rocky and abrupt, and sometimes
with more gradual acclivity — are for the most part
thickly wooded ; the form of their summits, differing
in character, corresponds in variety with the lower
grounds — some of them bold, rocky, and majestic ;
others of an interesting appearance, though less
strongly marked. The harbour of Castletownsend,
with its venerable castle, a large island at its mouth,
many bold projections of rocky coast, and the ocean,
immeasurably extended beyond them all, present
themselves in different points of view from parts of
the grounds. Indeed, one of the most singular
beauties of the place is the perpetual change of
prospect which almost every change of situation
presents."
The upper harbour serves as a sort of reservoir,
which carries off into the sea the drainage from the
adjacent country ; numerous brooks and rivulets —
some of which during the winter rains become swol-
len into pigmy torrents, and which drain the super-
fluous water of the surrounding land — run down the
Sketches in Carbery. 145
declivities of the hill sides, and discharge their waters
into this estuary. On the west side of the harhour
on a high eminence, wooded to the top and overlook-
ing the demesne and harhour, a rude heap and arch-
way of stones, called the Nelson Monument, may be
observed. It was erected shortly after the battle of
Trafalgar, to commemorate that event, by the sailors
of a sloop of war stationed in Castlehaven at the
time. An inscription, detailing the cause and date
of its erection, was engraved on a slab at the base
of the monument; but time and exposure to the
weather have managed to efface the letters most
effectually.
Since the visit of the Spaniards in the commence-
ment of the 17th century, perhaps no event down
to the present time has created more excitement
amongst the inhabitants than the visit of a large
herd of whales, which ran into Castlehaven during
the winter of 1855, one of the severest winters on
record in this country. They forced their way up
the Eineen river, but—the tide receding left the
greater number floundering on the mud-banks. The
leader of the flock was harpooned near the harbour's
mouth by the late T. Atteridge, Esq., of Castle-
townsend, but, instead of forcing his way out to
sea, he steered his course up the river towards Eineen
(almost the entire herd following in his wake to the
number of about fifty), towing the boat after him at
railway speed. The leader measured twenty-five
feet in length. The whales were of a species, small
in size, called the round-headed Eorpoise or Caaing
whale (Phocaena Melas). The people from the
country round assembled in large numbers, and with
hatchets, harpoons, pikes, and any weapons they
could seize on, soon despatched their captives : how-
11
146 Sketches in Carter y.
ever, the amount of oil obtained proved inconsider-
able, as the blubber was not very abundant, and the
people were not well versed in the mode of extracting
the oil.
Townsend, in his work, alludes in very flattering
terms to the proprietor of Castletownsend in his time
— Richard Townsend, Esq., who represented the
county Cork in Parliament during the early years
of the present century. It appears that he was instru-
mental in organizing improvements, and endeavoured
to develop the trade, and to add to the importance
of Castletownsend in many ways.
The present village of Castletownsend occupies
the declivity of a hill, which slopes down to" the
harbour at an angle of about 25 degrees, the ascent
of which is no easy task, unless for a person in robust
health : it is a veritable Sleepy Hollow, and some of
the houses present a venerable and moss-grown appear-
ance which entitle them to a place in a work on
antiquities. The surrounding scenery needs no
comment: it is the ne plus ultra of the charming and
picturesque — there are a few nice villas and well-
cultivated gardens in the neighbourhood. The
Domain House ("The Big House"), the seat of
the Townsends, is a modern building ; the previous
structure was nearly burnt to the ground acci-
dentally in 1858. The present mansion is a
plain-looking structure outside, comfortable and
commodious within ; of a mixed style of architec-
ture ; the architect had an eye more to the useful
than the ornamental, or picturesque ; as the view
from the house is on a rather limited scale — viz., a
circumscribed portion of the domain, and a bird's-
eye peep at the Harbour.
Close to the village of Castletownsend, a short
Sketches in Carbcrp. 147
distance from the high road, on a hill called Knock -
dromma, we observe a very perfect specimen of the
stone fort or " cathair," 'which presents some very-
interesting features, and is well worthy of a visit.
Ascending to the summit of the hill, after a
short walk, we reach an elevated circumscribed
plateau, completely isolated and distinct from the
surrounding hillocks, and. occupied by the remains
and underground -chambers of the " cathair. 5 ' A
circular wall of uncemented flat stones is seen
erected around the edge of the plateau ; this wall
is about 320 feet in circumferenc^5>10 feet thick, and
about 8 feet high. The present proprietor of the
land, T. Somerville, Esq., D.L., Drishane, has
endeavoured to preserve the structure in as complete
a manner as possible. The outer wall, which had
nearly fallen down, he has built up again with the
original materials, so as to restore it more or less to
its pristine proportions.
At the eastern side of the enclosure there is a gap
through the wall flanked on the south by a pillar-
stone, on the surface of which an ancient-looking
cross is engraved. On the adjoining side of this
entrance there is a hollow recess in the thickness of
the wall : for what purpose it was intended is doubt-
ful. Lying on the ground, close to the entrance, is
a large stone of irregular shape, covered witr/about
twenty cup-shaped depressions, evidently of an arti-
ficial character. It seems strange what they were
intended to represent — a sort of antiquarian puzzle.
Another stone discovered formerly in the vicinity
had the cup-shaped hollows joined to each other by
narrow grooves so as to resemble dumb-bells in
shape. In the centre of the area within the circular
outer wall a confused heap of stones was formerly
11*
.
148 Sketches in Carbery.
piled together. On removing these the foundations
of four side walls -were brought to view, (enclosing a
portion of ground about 20 feet square, which seems
to have been roughly flagged. The debris must
evidently have been part and parcel of some ancient
stone building ("clochan") with the usual bee-hive
shaped stone roof.
At the south-west angle of this enclosed central
space there is a square-headed doorway with a lintel
on the top, a flag beneath, and rough walls at either
side : this leads by a narrow passage sloping down-
wards and inwards (and just sufficiently capacious
to admit an adult in the recumbent posture) into a
dark, gloomy chamber, excavated out of the solid
rock. The latter is of an irregular oval shape, 12
feet long, 4 feet wide, and about 3^ feet high ; the
walls approximate overhead, and it is roofed over
by large Hat stones, close to the surface of the soil.
Near the entrance leading into chamber No. 1,
and communicating with the latter, is a circular
aperture, barely sufficient to admit of a forcible pas-
sage on all fours, through which we gain admission
into chamber No. 2 ; this chamber is also excavated
out of the solid rock : it is 7 feet 4 inches long,
4 feet 9 inches wide, and 3 to 4 feet high, and
somewhat oven-shaped. We observe a flag-stone in
the roof, through which is a circular opening, a sort
of air hole or ventilator, that would lead us to be-
lieve the chambers were intended as places of retreat
for living beings. No. 3 chamber, which is of an
irregular oval shape, is joined to No. 2 by a circular
opening through the rock ; it is 11 feet 6 inches
long, and 4 feet wide. Near the western end is a
ventilating shaft or chimney, the entrance to which
is blocked up by rough stones: this circumstance
v..
Sketches in Carbery. 149
would also strengthen our belief as to these strange
subterranean dens having been utilized as human
habitations in some remote age, more especially
when the remains of the stone house or clochan,
which we have already alluded to, are discovered in
such close proximity and intimate union with the
subterranean passages. One seems to have been the
ante-room, and the other the basement story. The
date of their construction must be of very remote
origin, belonging to a pre-Christian era most pro-
bably. Certainly the inhabitants of these gloomy
chambers on Knockdromma, whether Firbolgs,
Tuatha de Danaans, or Milesians, had no very
advanced or elevated ideas about either domestio
comforts or architectural progress ; in this respect,
however, I dare say they were on a level, if not
superior, to the majority of the Celtic and Teutonic
tribes of the time in which they flourished.
The visitor to Knockdromma, no matter how
actively his antiquarian tastes may be engaged,
cannot fail, however, to be greatly impressed with
the very beautiful and charming view he obtains of
the surrounding sceneiy. Between the eminence
on which we stand and the sea, the landscape pre-
sents a most picturesque appearance, diversified and
enlivened by bright-looking verdant nooks, and shel-
tered spots, sparkling in the sunshine — oases in the
wilderness of rocks, projecting so prominently above
the surface — alluvial deposits washed down into their
present position from the hill sides, which they have
deserted, and well repaying a careful cultivation.
The dull, monotonous brown colour of the rocks is
relieved in a great degree also by the purple heather,
the golden tufted furze, and the white spray-like
blossoms of the fragrant hawthorn, and the breeze
V
150 Sketches in Carbery.
blowing in from the ocean is exhilarating srnd re-
freshing, laden as it is with the perfume of thousands
of wild flowers. t
The coast line is singularly beautiful. A wide
expanse of ocean is before us to the south, limited
by the distant horizon, bounded on the east by the
projecting peninsula of the Galley Head (Dundeide).
Towards the west the most prominent object is the
hill above Toe Head, named Beann Hill, whose sullen
lowering brow is generally surmounted by a canopy
of light, fleecy clouds, its sombre-looking sides
enveloped in graceful folds of white vapoury mist,
through which we can faintly descry each dark and
rugged feature of the promontory. Away far inland,
towards the west, we observe the extensive chains of
mountains which stretch as a gigantic barrier be-
tween the adjoining confines of Cork and Kerry.
At sunset the scene is one which can never be for-
gotten — the sun sinking to rest in a flood of aureate
light — a monarch decked in all the regalia of
royalty, encircled by golden-fringed clouds, brilliantly-
coloured, outriv ailing in lustre the Tyrian purple or
the sparkle of the precious gem —
" And as I watch the line of light that plays
Along the smooth wave tow'rd the burning west,
I long to tread that golden path of rays,
And think 'twould lead to some bright isle of rest."
I have selected some passages from a poem
entitled, "Lines descriptive of Castlehaven," with
the permission of the writer, and I regret that want
of space prevents my including all the verses, which
display both taste and talent.
"There'i many a fair enchanting^ scene on Erin's rock-bound
coast,
And 'mong the loveliest, I ween, this tranquil spot can boast
Sketches in Carbery.
151
A touching beauty all its own, a magic grace so rare,
So calm, so silent, and so lone, and oh .' so passing fair.
" Embosom'd deep amid high hills, verdant and foliage crown'd;
Adown which ripple sparkling rilta with soft and murmuring
sound." < r
*******
" On either side a little bay,
Majestic cliffs,-bare, bold, and grey,
Their tall, fantastic forms display,
Pierced deep with many arched caves,
Worn by the ocean's lashing waves."
"An ancient graveyard lies beside, all filled with grass-grown
graves,
Near to the ever-murmuring tide. With cadence sweet the waves,
In their low, soothing monotone a peaceful requiem sing,
Which seems half-music and half-moan, so weird and sad a
thing.
" Close to a white and pebbly strand, a ruined castle old,
In mournful majesty doth stand — O'Driscoll's lordly hold."
*******
" 'Hong all the keeps which owned their sway on shore or sea-girt
isle,
And many castles proud had they, this wears the saddest smile.
What old, historic mem'ries cling, like ivy, round the walls ;
And o'er the days a halo flings, when chieftains trod those halls ;
And listened to the harp's sweet sound, while banquets rich were
spread ;
The ruby wine passed freely round, both guest and poor were fed.
And fair forms flitted here and there, and eyes shone full of glee,
And gallant chiefs led ladies forth in dance right joyously.
While Irish musio, wit and song,
'Made time fly speedily along,
And gladdened all the merry throng."
* * * *
"Those days have vanished like a dream, long dreamed in the
shadowy past,
Its music now 's the sea bird's scream, or the wild and moaning
blast
Which nightly whistles thro' the doors, with ghostly, elfin sound,
A plaintive elegy, that soars its winding stairs around.
The wild bird is the only guest
Which now within those walls doth rest,
And safely builds her airy nest
IJpon the turret's lofty crest.
_J
152
Sketches in Carbery.
"Nature has shed with lavish hand her varied beauties round
O'er this enchanting fairy land. On every side abound
The softest charms of sea and shore, of sylvan glade and dell
The song of birds, the billow's roar; both hill, and dale, and fell,
/And cliff, and cove, and bay as well,
And giant trees that stoop to lave
Their branches in the clear, blue wave
* _ * * *
K.C.
'<
Sketches in Carbery.
153
CHAPTEE X.
Myross — The O'Donovans — Baunlaghan— Smith's account of the
Dadagh Scene at Blarney Castle — History of the Clancahill or
senior branch of the O'Donovans — The Mealagh river — Castle Dono-
van — A condensed account of the O'Donovans' genealogy down to
the beginning of the present century— Castle Ivor — Lough Cluhir
and the legend about Ivor — John Collins of Myross, a brief account
of his life — Myross continued — The Cistercian Abbey of Carrigilehy
— The old fishing hamlet, and the wreck of the smuggled cargo of
brandy — Squince House, seat of the Clanloughlin O'Donovans —
Shipwreck at Blind Harbour — Dean Swift and the "Carberise
Eupes" — "Harrington's Lights," 1832 — Mysterious appearance at
Union Hall — Letters on this wonderful occurrence from a writer
in the New Monthly Magazine, and Doctor Donovan, senior, of
Skibbereen.
The parish, of Myross forms an elevated obtuse
peninsula, bounded on the east by Glandore har-
bour, on the west by Castletownsend harbour, on
the south by the sea, and on the north by a line
drawn from Shepperton to Leap. Its ancient name
was Garry, the Irish for garden. It was so called,
as the soil was more fertile in its qualities than any
other part of "West Carbery. Myross is a place re- '
plete with interest, as several relics of antiquity
may be observed there, and as no less a personage
than Dean Swift himself took up his residence there
for six months, and commemorated his sojourn by a
poem (" Eupes Carberise "), to which we will refer
further on.
Mrs. and Mr. S. C. Hall, in their charming work
entitled "Ireland: its Scenery, Character, &c." inform
us " A tower near Castletownsend is pointed out as
154 Sketches in Carbery.
the place where the Dean composed this poem.
It is now a complete ruin, being merely a shell of a
turret overgrown with ivy, but commanding a beauti-
ful prospect of the harbour, and over the sea." The
tower which flanked the old castle on its eastern side
still exists ; the walls are thickly enveloped in ancient
ivy ; it stands as a solitary relic of the ancient forta-
lice within the Castletownsend demesne. Eock
Cottage at Union Hall, near Glandore, and Squince
House in Myross, are also mentioned as being the
places where Swift wrote his " Eupes Carberise."
At the north-west corner of the parish, near
Eineen, is situated Bawnlahan, which formerly was
the principal seat of the O'Donovan family in Car-
bery, after Castledonovan. Its original name was
Banleathan, which means in Irish a broad field or
enclosure, where cattle were generally confined.
Portions of the old walls which enclosed this place
are standing still ; the greater part, however, have
fallen down. In the old feudal times, when castles
and fortified dwellings studded the surface of the
country, and when the various tribes and families
adopted what is often styled :
" The good old rule, the simple plan,
That they may take who had the power,
And they may keep who can,"
predatory incursions by one chieftain into another's
territories were frequent occurrences, leading in most
cases to retaliation, and nearly always to fighting
and bloodshed, so that a chronic state of internecine
strife and rivalry was kept up. Neighbouring chief-
tains preyed on each other's resources, acknowledging
no law but that which they maintained by the sword
and the right of conquest.
Sketches in Carlery. 155
Smith gives the following account of one of those
forays, which I introduce', as it refers particularly to
one of the ancient chieftains, an ancestor to the
O'Donovan of Bawnlahan : — " Clancarthy, Mac Car-
thy Eeagh, and O'Donovan, having joined their
forces, went into the county of Limerick to plunder,
as was the custom of former times. They brought
a considerable prey to the castle of Blarney, the seat
of Clancarthy, who- was for having all the cattle
drove into his own bawn, without sharing the spoil,
and in this manner he had served MacCarthy Eeagh
before, who then lived at the castle of Kilbrittain,
and who, on this occasion, called upon O'Donovan to
join him, that he might assist him if Clancarthy did
not share the booty. O'Donovan immediately opposed
the driving in of the cattle without dividing them,
whereupon a contest ensued. Clancarthy, being
thrown down by O'Donovan, had his weapon drawn
intending to kill his antagonist; but O'Donovan, per-
ceiving his design, wrenched it from him, and with
it slew Clancarthy on the spot, and divided the spoil
with Mac Carthy Eeagh. It is not certainly known
when this event happened, but the instrument, with
this tradition relating to it, is time out of mind in the
family. It was a class of weapon of ancient Irish ori-
gin, called the dadagh, and was somewhat similar to
the Highland dirk. This weapon is supposed to come
originally from the Spanish Miquelets, from whom,
according to antiquarians, the Milesian Irish derived
them, and afterwards handed them over to the Scots."
We find that the title of O'Donovan of Castle-
donovan and Bawnlahan, was adopted by the chiefs
of Clancahill (O'Donovans) about A. D. 1640, when
Donnell III., O'Donovan tenth in descent from
Crom, adopted the title. He had two manors attached
I
15(5 Sketches in Carbery.
to Ms territories, that of Castledonovan in Drimo-
league, comprising 67 ploughlands, and the manor of
Kahine, in Myross. Here it will be necessary to
make a digression, and go back to the 12th and 13th
centuries, and offer some brief remarks on the Carbery
of that period, in order to obtain a clue to the dis-
tribution of this family, and properly understand
the history of after events.
The ancestor- of all the septs of the O'Donovan
family in the baronies of Carbery, and of several others
in Leinster, was Crom O'Donovan, who built the
celebrated castle of Crom, or Croom, on the banks of
the river Maigue, in the county Limerick, where he
occupied a territory called Ui-Cairbre-Aebhdha,
which comprised the barony of Coshma, and the dis-
trict around Kilmallock. After the English invasion
this castle was seized on by the Fitzgeralds (the
Kildare branch), and it afterwards gave origin to
the famous motto " Crom Aboo," used still by the
Earls of Kildare. This Crom was killed, A. D. 1254,
at Inispheale, near Iniskeen, during an engagement
with the O'Mahonys. According to Dr. J. O'Dono-
van, he gave name to Grleam-a-Chroim, in the parish
of Fanlobus, which afterwards became the property
of a branch of the McCarthys, who had their principal
seat at Dunmanway.
Cathal or Cahill O'Donovan was the first son of _.
Crom. The fortune of war proving adverse to him,
he was obliged to desert the solum natale, being forced
out of his territories by the Eitzgeralds, and follow-
ing an example which was very prevalent at the
time, he seized on a territory in West Carbery which
is known at present as the parish of Drimoleague,
and having defeated in battle the O'Driscolls, the
original proprietors, he compelled them to migrate
Sketches in Carbery.
157
towards the coast. To this newly-acquired possession
he transferred the tribe name of his family — Cairbrie,
and this by a strange whim of custom was extended
during the 13th century to the entire tract of
country, now known as the baronies of Carbery, and
formerly styled Corca Laidhe. The name of Clan-
cahil, after Cahil O'Donovan, was given to a large
extent of country in the county of Cork, comprising,
besides the parish of Drimoleague, several other tracts
towards the south coast, in the parishes of Cabaragh,
Drinagh, Myross, Castlehaven, &c, embracing alto-
gether 67 ploughlands.
The nortbern boundary was the river Mealagh —
formerly Myalagh — which rises in Mount Owen (the
hill of streams) in the parish of Fanlobus, and taking
a north-westerly direction, between Drimoleage, Fan-
lobus and Kilmocomogue, falls into Bantry Bay at
Dunamark.
From its fountain head to its termination, the
Mealagh, though its course is short, has some points
of interest. Not far from its source, it is a diminu-
tive mountain stream near tbe foot of Mount Owen,
dashing down in one place as a foaming cascade,
over tbe sheer side of a rocky boulder which projects
from tbe hill- side. Gathering size and importance,
as it goes along, from all the numerous mountain
rills which add their tributary waters, it winds
along, a murmuring stream, as the Irish name
denotes, through the centre of the valley of Barna-
gowlans, which is a cup-shaped hollow in the heart
of the mountain, most remote, secluded, and difficult
of access, about equi-distant from Dunmanway,
Drimoleague, and Bantry.
The latter is so completely encircled by mountains
on every side, and the mode of exit appears so diffi-
11.
158 Sketches in Carba'y.
cult, as to recall somewhat' to our memory the story
of Basselas iu the Abyssiniau Valley, which must
have presented however a more enjoyable prospect
than Barnagowlanes. The names of some of the
adjacent mountains, viz., Mullaghmeisa, Derreena-
crenig, Knock-na-Cnauv-TJllig, &c. (euphonious
words), would be a puzzle and source of dismay in
pronunciation to a Cockney tourist. At Dunamark,
near Bantry, the river terminates its career by pre-
cipitating itself as a deep, resounding cataract over
a bare rocky cliff, into Bantry Bay. Dunamark is
a memorable spot in two ways. Here, according to
Dr. O'Donovan, translator of the "Four Masters,"
landed Ceasair (not Julius Ceesar) and her com-
panions forty days before the deluge — the first
mortals that ever set foot on Erin's Isle, if we
are to believe the antediluvian tradition ; and here
also was formerly the original seat of the Carews,
one of whom, the celebrated Sir George Carew, halted
at Dunamark on his way to the siege of Dunboy.
The chief residence of the O'Donovans was Castle-
donovan, in Drimoleague, attached to which was
ODonovan's seat in the same parish. The walls of
Castledonovan are standing still. ODonovan says:
"Great rents are visible still from the effects of light-
ning of gunpowder, as it is said to have been blown
up with gunpowder by the Cromwellians. It stands
upon a rock, and a spiral staircase runs up to the
top. It is 42 feet long, 26 feet broad, and about
60 feet high." According to Collins, Castledonovan
was built by Donnell I. O'Donovan, commonly called
Domhnall na-g-Croiceann, who was chief of Clan-
cahill, A. D. 1560. Others think that part of this
castle was older than his time.
The walls of the castle are about six feet thick; the
Sketches in Carbery. 159
principal entrance is in the western gable, the door-
way consisting of a gothic a.rch of limestone, skil-
fully cut and fashioned. At one time there was a
massive door protecting this entrance, swinging on
stout hinges, and secured in front by large iron bolts.
This door, it is said, was discovered some years ago
by a neighbouring farmer, who carried it home, and
broke it up for domestio purposes. The staircase,
which was a spiral one, consists of 91 steps, and the
parapets, which were machicolated, supported a broad
balcony, on which guns could be mounted. There
were also redoubts, breast works, and a bakehouse,
the ruins of which can still be observed close to the
walls of the central tower.
The castle derived its power and importance, as
an impregnable stronghold, not so much from the
firmness of its architecture and the strength of its
garrison as from the situation it occupied — protected
on the east, north, and north-west by a regular
amphitheatre of hills, and built' on a rock at the
head of a remote mountain valley; before the ad-
jacent land was cultivated, it was formerly sur-
rounded by a circle of bogs, and marshes, a safe
passage through which presented no small difficulty
to an invading force.
There is a tradition that O'Donovan and his fol-
lowers on one occasion went on a foraging expedi-
tion to the baronies of Bear and Ban try ; they seized
on some cattle belonging to Dhpnal Coum O'Sullivan :
the latter, however, went in pursuit, accompanied by
a large force, and overtook O'Donovan at a pass
between Derreenacrenig and Mullaghmeisa moun-
tains, close to Castle Donovan, where a battle ensued,
attended with much bloodshed, each side claiming
the victory. Ever since this occurred the mountain
160 Sketches in Carter*/.
pass has been known under the name of Barnafulla
(the gap of blood).
In 1650 the castle was attacked, it is said, by one
of Cromwell's generals ; the garrison having ex-
hausted their ammunition, and being called on to
surrender, escaped during the night, and fled to
Limerick. "We have no accurate record since that
period of the castle having been regularly inhabited.
There is a report current that the White Boys used
its gloomy chambers as a place of retreat at one
time. A square boulder of rock near the brink of
the little mountain stream which passes close by the
castle walls is still known as Carrig-na-Mart (Rock
of the beef), for here, according to tradition, the
owners of the castle were accustomed to have the
cattle killed which were destined as food for them-
selves, their followers, and attendants.
The territory of Clancahill, as was mentioned
already, included two manors, that of Castledonovan
and the manor of Bahine in Myross, the seat attached
to which was Banlaghan.
Donnell III. O'Donovan, who flourished during
the middle of the 17th century, was a man distin-
guished both in war and peace, admired by his friends
and respected by his enemies. He died in the year
1660. He was a strict loyalist, and joined during
the Cromwellian wars the Earl of Castlehaven, who
was commander-in-chief of the royalists in Ireland
at that period. His principal castle in Myross was
Bahine, which was head of a manor in 1607. Ac-
cording to Collins, this castle was built by Donnell II.
O'Donovan, who succeeded his father, Donnell L, in
1584. Bahine castle is situated close to the water's
edge, on the east side of the harbour, facing Castle-
townsend. It is of very solid construction, and
t
Sketches in Carbery. 161
built after the same model as Castledonovan Castle.
The east wall has fallen -down. The western wall,
looking out to the harbour's mouth, is fissured with
rents, and presents quite a battered appearance.
Several holes are visible where cannon balls pene-
trated, some of which are still imbedded in the solid
masonry of the wall. During 1649, after the land-
ing of Cromwell in Dublin, the lands about Eahine
were ravaged with fire" and sword bj the Crom-
wellians. It was, most probably, at this period the
castle was attacked and bombarded by some ships in
the harbour, as we learn from historians that two
castles belonging to O'Donovan were^esieged then
and blown up with gunpowder.
In ancient times a system of masonry called
grouting, was adopted in the building of castles and
fortified places. Instead of laying alternate layers
of mortar between the stones, a fluid mortar of sand
and lime, mixed with blood, chopped horse hair, and
sometimes fine gravel, was poured into holes in the
wall, and this fluid mortar finding its way into every
crevice, when it cooled bound the parts together in
as complete and solid a manner as if the buildiDg
was hewn out of a rock. In this way we can account
why it is that the buildings of olden times can resist
the effects of time and exposure to weather better
than the more elaborate, but also more lath-and-
plaster edifices of modern construction.
John O'Donovan, the eminent Irish scholar, genea-
logist, and historian, who died in 1864, has entered
very minutely, and with great research, into the
genealogy and history of the senior branch of the
O'Donovan family, who formerly occupied the parish
of Myross as already mentioned. As we are at
present engaged in studying the different points of
19
162 Sketches in Carbery.
interest connected "with that parish, I have been
tempted to present, in a condensed form- and in con-
secutive order, some of the leading particulars which
he refers to, as a description of Myross would be in-
complete without them.
On the death of Donnell III., . O'Donovan, of
Castledonovan and Sahine, his son, Daniel IV., who
was left without any property, petitioned King
Charles II. to restore to him his father's estates, which
were forfeited during the Cromwellian wars. The
kino- wrote to the Irish Government, directing their
attention to the matter, the result being that a por-
tion of the Manor of Rahine was restored to him,
but no part of the Manor of Castledonovan, which
the king, by patent, in the 18th year of his reign,
granted to Lieutenant Nathaniel Evanson.
A copy of the king's letter was preserved atBawn-
lao-han House, and lay in the possession of the late
Edward Powell, Esq.
In 1684, O'Donovan was put on his trial for high
treason, but was honourably acquitted. He after-
wards became colonel of a foot regiment in the
service of James II., and was deputy governor of
Charles Port, in 1690, when it was attacked by
Lord Marlborough and forced to surrender, the gar-
rison being allowed to march out with their arms
and baggage.
Daniel IV. O'Donovan was succeeded, about 1703,
by Captain Richard O'Donovan, who married Eleanor
Fitzgerald, daughter of the Knight of Kerry. He
was succeeded by his eldest son, Daniel V., who
married, in his 18th year, Anne Kearney, daughter
of James Kearney, Esq., of Grarrettstown, and
secondly, in 1763, in the 60th year of his age, Jane
Becher, daughter of John Becher, Esq., of Holly-
Sketches in Carbery.
163
brook, then 15 years old, by whom he had four
children. He died in 1778. Smith, in his " History
of Cork," in noticing Bawnlaghan, makes the follow-
ing remark : —
"In this parish (Myross) is Bawnlaghan, the
seat of O'Donovan, chief of that ancient family, a
worthy, courteous gentleman."
His children were (1) Eichard, a general in the
English service ; (2) John, a captain in the English
service, who was killed in the year 1796; (3) Ellen
or Helena, who married John Warren, Esq., Codrum,
and/ died without issue, 1840; and (4) Jane, who
died unmarried in 1833. In his will, dated De-
cember, 1778, in case of failure of issue male and
female in his sons, he leaves the reversion of his
estates to Morgan O'Donovan, Esq., then livino- in
the city of Cork, and grandfather of O'Donovan, of
Montpelier, and of The O'Donovan ofLissard, Skib-
bereen. He was buried in the church of Myross
where he was followed by. his second wife, Jane
Becher, who died in 1812.
Bawnlaghan is also styled Castlejane, a name
conferred on it, I daresay, by ODonovan, in honour
of his wife.
Eichard II. Donovan, eldest son of the last men-,
tioned, succeeded his father. He was born about 1 764,
and in 1800 married Emma Anne Powell, a "Welsh
lady. He had no children ; he was a colonel in the
Enniskillen Dragoons, and afterwards a general in
the English service ; he was an intimate acquaint-
ance of the Prince Eegent, and saved the life of his
Highness the Duke of York during the retreat of
the English army from Holland, O'Donovan died
in 1829, and with him became extinct the senior
branch of the O'Donovan family, viz " The
12*
164 Sketches in Carlery,
O'Donovan of Castledonovan and Bawnlaghan
According to his father's will, the property should
have reverted to O'Donovan, Montpelier ; however,
he managed to~ upset the will some time hefore his
own death by " levying fines and suffering a recovery"
of the property, which he then willed to his wife,
Emma Anne Powell, who died in 1832, after having
willed the remnant of the ancient estate to her
brother, Major Powell, one of whose sons now enjoys
its possession.
The following are the names of the lands belong-
ing to General O'Donovan at the time of his death,
in 1829 ; they constitute a very small portion of the
original territory of Clancahill: 1, Bawnlaghan;
2, Coolebin ; 3, Islands ; 4, Clontaff ; 5, Kilgleeny;
6, Curraghalicky ; 7, Curryglass; 8, The Pike;
9, Coomatollin.
About a mile to the south of Bawnlaghan, when
we reach the summit of the hill on the Myross road,
we observe a small fragment of an ancient castle in
an adjoining field on our left hand side ; it is all
that is left of Castle Ire, or as it was originally
styled Ivor. The fragment which remains is formed
by a small portion of the north and west walls of
the castle tower, the rest having fallen down long
ao-o. It forms a prominent object when viewed from
near Lough Cluhir, reminding a person of one of
these ancient pillar-stones which are still abundant
in some parts of Ireland. Portions of the foundation
built on the solid rock may also be observed. This
castle occupied a very commanding position, over-
hanging a narrow gorge, overlooking the entire
peninsula between itself and the coast, and embracing
within the range of vision an extensive sweep of
horizon out to sea. It must evidently have served
Sketches in Carbery.
i65
the purpose of a -watch-tower, as we learn that the
builder of Castle Ivor was an extensive trader.
According to John Collins, Castle Ivor -was built
in the year 1251, by Ivor Donovan (a Dano-Celtic
name), second son of Cathal, who was son of Crom,
the progenitor of the O'Donovan family. It re-
mained in the possession of his descendants until the
middle of the 16th century, when they were dis-
possessed by Donnell Na-Gcroiceann, the chieftain
of the senior branch. Collins tells us the following
legend : —
" Ivor was a celebrated trader, and is now regarded
as a magician in the wild traditions of the peasantry
of the district, who believe he is enchanted in a lake
called Lough Cluhir, situated near Castle Ivor, in
the townland of Listarkin, and that his magical
ship is seen every seventh year, with all her courses
set and colours flying, majestically floating on the
surface of that lake. I have seen one person, in par-
ticular, testify by oath that he had seen this extra-
ordinary phenomenon in the year 1778."
"He should have added," says O'Donovan, "that
this ship was said to have appeared immediately after
the death of Daniel O'Donovan, of Bawnlahan, Esq.,
the representative of Donell Na-Gcroiceann, the ex-
tirpator of the race of Ivor."
The ruins of Castle Ivor, insignificant-looking as
they are, must be viewed with the greatest interest,
when we consider that the lengthened period of six
centuries has elapsed since the foundations of a castle
so venerable by its age were first laid by Ivor.
"What changes in the fortunes of the world have
occurred since then ! — conquests, sieges, battles, by
land and sea. How many generations of mankind
have passed away after filling up the niche in time
166 Sketches in CarbertJ. '
allotted to them by destiny, and still that little
ruined fragment remains, outliving the storm, like
the debris of a^ shipwrecked vessel, to prove that -
something tangible, and tenanted by human beings :
had once existed. •
John Collins, of Myross, whose name we have
often quoted already, was a man gifted with natural
qualities of a high poetical character, which, had
they been matured by art, or had he lived under
more favourable circumstances, might probably have
placed his name high on the roll of poets. How-
ever, as we learn from the records of his life, he had
to devote the greater part of his days to the drudgery
inseparable from the office of a village schoolmaster,
in order to support a wife and large family. The
opportunities which university education, spare
time, and command of money, give to others to cul-
tivate the mind were wanting in his case, as, being
thrown upon his own resources, he had to educate
himself m a great measure, and at the same time
procure a livelihood.
O'Donovan styles him the last Irish scholar, his-
toriographer, and poet of Carbery, and the name by
which he was popularly known through the South
of Ireland was " The Silver Tongue of Munster."
Collins was born about the year 1754, at Kilmeen,
to the north of Clonakilty ; his parents were of the
tanning class; he was descended from the O'Cullanes
(Anglicised into Collins ), an Irish sept, who formerly
occupied Castle Lyons, and the district around it.
Ine only property he inherited, like the majority of
his countrymen, lay in the gifts which nature had
bestowed on him— a fluent tongue, a ready wit, and
a sound constitution. He was destined at first for
the priesthood, but did not long pursue his studies
{
mem
Sketches in Carbery. lQf
in that line, having no vocation for a clerical life.
He ultimately during his rambles took up his resi-
dence in Myross, where he taught school for a con-
siderable period, and in which place he composed
several beautiful poems in the Irish language,
amongst others — "The Buachaill JBawn," "An Ode
on Timoleague Abbey," very much admired (trans-
lated by Ferguson), and a translation in Irish of
that charming poem of Campbell's, " The Exile of
Erin," which Irish scholars say excels the original.
The following is a translation of a portion of the
" Buachaill Bawn," by Erionnache. One verse only
is given, merely to convey some idea, although a faint
one, of Collins's poetry. Irish poems do not admit
well as a rule of being translated into English, both
languages being so dissimilar in sound, mode of ex-
pression, &c. : —
" BUACHAILL BAWN (THE FAIR BOY).
" With crimson gleaming the dawn rose, beaming
On branching oaks nigh the golden shore,
Above me rustled their leaves, and dreaming,
Methought a nymph rose the blue -waves o'er ;
Her brow was brighter than stars that light our
Dim, dewy earth ere the summer dawn,
But she spoke in mourning : ' My heart of sorrow
Ne'er brings a morrow, Mo Buachaill Bawn !' "
*****
Some of Collins's manuscripts fell into the posses*
sion of a Mr. 0' Grady, of Dublin. They were
written about 1774, and beside his poems contained
a history of Ireland, which was left in an unfinished
state. Collins died at Skibbereen, in the year 1816,
at the age of 64 years.
Daniel Mac Carthy (GHas), author of " The Life
and Letters of Florence Mao Carthy Mor," and " The
168 Sketches in Carter y.
Mac Carthys of Grleana Crohn," has "written a brief
account of John Collins in the latter work. He also
possesses the original manuscript of Collins relating
to the genealogy of the Mac Carthys. The original
manuscript copy by Collins, consisting of a brief
condensed " History of Ancient Ireland," and " The
Pedigree of the O'Donovans of Clancahill" is
possessed by Mr. Philip O'Donovan, of Union Hall,
Myross.
At the south-east corner of Myross, close to the
mouth of Grlandore Harbour, is situated the town-
land of Carigilihy. Previous to 1846 a thriving
hamlet of the same name existed here, containing a
population of about 700 persons, who gained a liveli-
hood chiefly by fishing and trading along the coast.
"When the gaunt and grim spectre of famine passed over
the land, carrying death and desolation on its blight-
ing track into many a prosperous and happy home-
stead, the ravages of disease and hunger extended
themselves to this remote hamlet too. Most of
those who weathered the storm emigrated to America,
and at present we only observe ruined habitations
and a scanty population, where in former times a
numerous colony of people resided.
About forty years ago, when the duties on im-
ported goods were very heavy, smuggling was ex-
tensively practised along the south-western coast of
Ireland, which, from its geographical position and
the many inlets of the sea it contains, was most
accessible to vessels sailing from the coasts of France,
Portugal and Spain, -with contraband cargo on board.
In the year 1830 a cargo of brandy was run across
from France to Carrigilihy. Intimation, however,
had been given to the custom-house officers and
coastguards beforehand, and they were continually
Sketches in Carbery. lgj)
on the alert in order to intercept the smugglers,
who, coming off the place" and being afraid to land,
sank their brandy casks near the coast, and buoyed
them up so that they might raise them again at the
first favourable opportunity. One night, however
a violent storm came on, the lashings of the casks
were rent asunder, and the casks themselves floating
to the surface were driven ashore by the wind and
waves. "When morning broke the whole population
of Carigilihy turned out, and rushing down to the
strand made a brisk attack on the casks, whose sides
they soon broached, and whose contents they quickly
demolished. The old Cognac, however, proved a
formidable foe, and long before evening came on
the majority of the brandy-drinkers were stretched
senseless on the sand, and two unfortunate men
died from taking an over-dose of the brandy.
A rich and ancient monastery at one time flourished
in Carrigilihy ; it was called the Abbey Be Sancto
Mauro, or Be Fonte Vivo (of the Clear Spring). The
latter name it derived from a clear, limpid spring
which welled up out of the rock near the site of the
old abbey.
I have already alluded in one of the opening
chapters in brief terms to this ancient and important
abbey. "In the year 1519 the abbot, Johnlmurily,
was made Bishop of Boss." (Monast. Hibeniic.) It
was occupied by monks of the Cistercian Order, who
came there from the more ancient and celebrated
Abbey of Baltinglass in the county "Wicklow.
Some authorities say that Be Sancto Mauro was
situated at Abbey Mahon, near Timoleague, but Smith
and others contradict this assertion, and fix the locality
as at Carrigilihy, and apparently on better grounds.
Smith states that in his time, that is about 100 years
170
Sketches in Carteri/.
ago, " The foundations of extensive ruins, together
with a large cemetery, with great quantities of
human hones, "were discovered in Carrigilihy. It -
was most probably, he says, the site of the Abbey
De Sancto Mauro."
The " Monasticon Hihernicon" which gives very
reliahle information on the ancient Ecclesiastical re-
cords of Ireland, alluding to the abbeys of the Order
of Cistercian Monks, says : —
" This Order had no great number of houses, yet
it had the advantage of being one of the richest and
most renowned in the island, not only because all
its houses had the title of Abbeys, but also because
this alone had more abbots, who were lords spiritual,
and as such sat in Parliament, than all the other
Orders together, for, of fifteen abbots, who had this
prerogative throughout the country, thirteen were
of the Cistercian Order.
" In the reign of Queen Elizabeth this monastery
and its appurtenances were granted for ever to
Nicholas Walshe, at the annual rent of £28 6s. €>d."
The remaining points of interest connected with
Myross are few. Squince Island is deserving of
note, as it has long enjoyed a reputation for pro-
ducing herbage which has special capacities for the
fattening of horses. The island is connected with
the mainland by means of a causeway. Near
Squince Strand a neat and trim-looking coastguard
station was situated some years ago. A little to
the south-west of this place, and built on an elevated
position near the sea, stand the ruins of the old
parish chapel. The four side walls of the aisle are
standing in good preservation. Within the walls
and in the surrounding graveyard may be seen
several diminutive fonts of very rude and primitive
Sketches in Carbery.
171
■workmanship. Here alse is a peculiar-looking tomb,
built of large stone slabs in the form of a truncated
pyramid ; it was the burying-place of the O'Dono-
vans of Bawnlahane. From this spot we get a
good view out to sea and along the coast. Immedi-
ately facing us, at a short' distance, we perceive
High and Low Island; the latter was formerly
called Arahas Island, and was occupied by a small
cbapel, near the site of which persons from the
mainland were buried. On Babbit's Island, near
Squince, a holy well dedicated to St. Bridget at one
time nourished. The country people used to congre-
gate there on the eve of St. Bridget to offer up their
devotions. However, some years ago a boat was
capsized, returning late one evening from the island,
and some people drowned. Since then the well has
been neglected, and another well on the mainland,
in a little sequestered nook near Squince coastguard
station, fulfils the office of its predecessor. The sea
near Squince runs inland for a short distance, forming
a peculiar inlet, which ends in a cul-de-sac. It is called
in Irish, Cuan-caech, and in English, Blind Harbour.
Close to the beach we observe Squince House,
formerly the seat of the O'Donovans of Squince, of the
Clanloughlin branch, celebrated for their hospitality.
At the mouth of Blind Harbour, in February,
1874, an Italian barque, the "Pulcinello" was ship-
wrecked during a terrible gale. Driven in near the
shore by the fury of the gale, she foundered in the
harbour. All hands were lost, with the exception of
a young Italian boy, who had a miraculous escape.
He was flung ashore by a wave which washed over
the ship's deck, and before the succeeding wave
could overtake him he contrived to scramble beyond
the reach of the tide, holding on by the grass and
fems. He was picked up next morning in an ex-
172 Sketches in Carter y.
hausted state, but was quickly restored by the kind-
ness and care of the inhabitants of the place.
One of the most interesting facts connected with My-
ross is the residence there for about six months of the
celebrated Dean Swift, during which time he dwelt at
Eock Cottage, it is said (the residence of J. Frenoh,
Esq.), being on a visit with a clergyman of the district^
the Eev. Thomas Somerville. The Dean was in the
habit of making excursions along the coast, between
Glandore and Baltimore, and the impressions pro-
duced on his mind by the scenery he observed found
expression in a Latin poem, written in hexameter
verse, and styled " Carberiae Eupes," which he
wrote in June, 1723. It is a curious fact that Swift
should have preferred this poem and an epistle in
Latin verse to Dr. Sheridan to any of his other
writings, for although the metre is perfect, and the
style classical, still there is nothing particularly
brilliant in the subject matter of the poem. In the
same way Milton preferred " Paradise Eegained"
to " Paradise Lost," and Byron " A Paraphrase on
Horace's Art of Poetry," a production of mediocre
ability, to his magnificent poem " Childe Harold"
(before the publication of the latter), the manuscript
of which lay neglected in his trunk until his friend
Hobhouse awaked the poet's consciousness to some
idea of its great merits.
The reader can judge from these facts how a
person may be a great poet or prose writer, and still
a very poor critic of his own works ; like the medical
man, who can never prescribe well for himself when
he gets sick, but requires the friendly aid of another
to diagnose and treat his disease skilfully.
Every incident and particular connected with the
life of so illustrious and distinguished an. Irishman
as Dean Swift are worthy of note and fraught with
TFH
Sketches in Carlery, 173
interest. We transcribe his poem in part, with, the
translation of it by Dr. Dunkin : —
" CAKBEB.IAE EUPES.
" Ecce ! ingens fragmens scopuli, quod vertice sumjno,
Desuper impendet, nullo fundarhine nixum,
Decidit in fluctus : maria undique et undique gaxa
Horrisono stridore tonant, et ad jethera murmur
Erigitur ; trepidatque ; suis Neptunus in undis.
Nam longa venti rabie, atque ; aspergine crebrjl
iEquorei laticis, specuB ima" rupe cavatur:
Jam f ultura ruit, jam summa cacumina nutant ;
Jam cadit in proeceps moles, et verberat undas
Attonitus credas, bine dejecisse tonantem
Montibus impositos montes, et Pelion altum
In capita anguipedum coelo jaculasse gigantum.
Stepe etiam spelunca immani aperitur hiatu
Exesa 6 scopulis, et utrinque foramina pandit,
Hinc atque bine a ponto ad pontum pervia Phcebo."
*****
(Translated by Dunkin.)
" Lo ! from tbe top of yonder cliff, that shrouds
Its airy head amid the azure clouds,
Hangs a huge fragment ; destitute of props,
Prone on the waves, the rocky ruin drops ! ■
With hoarse rebuff the swelling seas rebound,
From shore to shore the rocks return the sound :
The dreadful murmur heav'ns high convex cleaves,
And Neptune shrinks beneath his subject waves ;
For long the whirling w'nds and beating tides
Had scooped a hole into its nether sides.
Now yields the base, the summits nod, now urge
Their headlong course, and lash the sounding surge.
Not louder noise could shake the guilty world
When Jove heap'd mountains upon mountains hurl'd;
Betorting Pelion from his dread abode,
To crush earth's rebel sons beneath the load.
Oft too with hideous yawn the caverns wide
Present an orifice on either side,
A dismal orifice* from sea to sea,
Extended, pervious to the god of day."
***♦#•
• This refers to a cave, near Carrigilihy Strand, where Dean Swift used to
embark. It forms a natural archway, hollowed out of the rank, and communi-
cating with the sea by two separate orifices, some distance apart. When the
tide is favourable * boat can be rowed through from one mouth to the other.
174 Sketches in Carlery,
There is one matter of particular interest connected
with Myross which is so well worthy of record that
we cannot pass it hy casually, hut must enter at
some length into its description. About half-a-mile
up Grlandore Harbour the sea takes a .bend west-
ward, at the Myross side, forming .a small creek at
the extremity of which is situated the village of
Union Hall, in a snug, secluded nook. Forty-six
years ago Union Hall was a great centre of attrac-
tion to sightseers and scientific persons from various
parts of the South of Ireland, it being the habitat of
what many regarded as a supernatural phenomenon,
and what were familiarly known as the " Grlandoro
Lights" • {MiraUKa Glandoriana), or Harrington's
Lights.
It appears that in the year 1832, a poor labouring
man named Thomas Harrington, residing in the
parish of Myross, occupied a small cabin close to the
sea-side, at the foot of a hill called Ardagh, which is
in the immediate vicinity of Union Hall. He was
a man of a delicate constitution ; exposure to hard-
ship, cold, and damp brought on an attack ^f con-
sumption, aud for sisSyears, from 1832 to 1838, he
lingered in a dying state, his health being gradually
undermined by the slow, insidious, but certainly
fatal ravages of that most incurable disease .-
During this period strange lights of a ghastly
hue, and assuming the most varied forms, were ob-
served from time to time within the walls of the
cabin and over the body of the sick man. The
report of this strange occurrence soon travelled far
and wide, and from various parts of the county
persons of all ranks of society, male and female,
assembled to witness Harrington's Lights. Some
observed nothing, some saw faint glimmerings,
Sketches in Carbery. 175
whilst others discovered brilliant stars, meteors
flitting about from wall to wall, balls of fire, &c.
The hands of persons raised over the body of the
sick man sometimes presented a luminous appear-
ance to lookers on in the surrounding darkness.
Sceptical observers, who distinguished nothing, be-
lieved they were the result of chicanery and leger-
demain (which however were never detected), which
misled the judgment and excited the imagination of
speculative philosophers and nervous old ladies, as
ignes-fatui in the wastes are said to beguile the
steps of unwary travellers. Those with a strong
religious tendency ascribed the lights to superhuman
agency, and looked on them as miraoulous and
nothing less.
Persons of a very scientific turn were confident
that all could be explained by chemical or electrical
causes, and that the fons et origo were situated in
the atmosphere, or in the soil on which the cabin
was built. It is a well-known fact that ignes-fatui
(Will-o'-the-wisps) are seen at times ' in boggy,
marshy ground, and in the vicinity of graveyards ;
they are supposed to be qaused by phosphureted *
hydrogen escaping from the soil, the result of animal
and vegetable decay. Opposed to this theory in
Harrington's case was the fact that, though both
soil and atmosphere in the neighbourhood of the
cabin were closely examined and explored, nothing
of a similar nature to what took, place in the sick
chamber could be observed.
"We now come to the final explanation of these
strange lights, which is generally received as the
most correct one. Physiologists and pathologists
are aware from experiments and actual observations
that in certain diseased states of the system, engen-
176 Sketches in Carbery.
dered by hereditary taint or other causes, such as
consumption and allied diseases, great wasting of
the fatty tissues and loss of the phosphates take
place. At the same time the supply of oxygen
being deficient, owing to the imperfect manner in'
which the lungs perform their functions, the phos-
phorus escapes fromthe body under peculiar oiroum-'
stances without being oxidized, in the form of
phosphureted hydrogen, through the lungs and
skin. Now phosphureted hydrogen has the peculiar
property of instantly inflaming when it comes iu
contact with the air, and it is in this way we can
explain how, in exceptional cases, luminous exha-
lations are sometimes (but very rarely) emitted from
the human body during life.
It is strange, nevertheless, that such phenomena
are not more frequently observed, as the conditions
for their existence must prevail in a great number of
cases, according to the theory which has been just
alluded to. Cases like Harrington's, however, are
extremely rare, and only casually taken notice of in
most works on physiology. "We give the following
extracts from the large work on human physiology,
by Dr. Carpenter, one of the most eminent English
physiologists of modern times. It refers to the sub-
ject we are now discussing, viz., the emanation of
light under exceptional conditions from the human
body during life : — ,
"Three cases are recorded by Sir H. Marsh in which an evo-
lution of lights took place from the living body; all the subject*
of these cases, however, were in the last stage of phthisis, and it
can scarcely be doubted that here, as in other diseases of exhaus-
tion, incipient disintegration was taking place during the latter
periods of life. The light in each case is described as playing
around the face, but not as directly proceeding from the surface,
n
Sketches in Carbery. 177
and in one of those instances, which was recorded by Dr. D.
Donovan (Dublin Medical Press, January 15th, 1840), not
only was the luminous appearance perceptible over the head of
the patient's bed, but luminous vapours passed in streams
through the apartment. It can scarcely be doubted that it
was here the breath which contained the' luminous compound,
more especially as it was observed in one of those cases to have
a very peculiar smell, and the probability that the luminosity
was due to the presence of phosphorus, in progress of slow oxi-
dation, is greatly increased by the fact already referred to, that
the injection of phosphureted oil into the blood-vessels fives
rise to a similar appearance On the whole, then,
we may conclude ; the occasional evolution of light from the
human subject to be the consequence (when not au electrical
phenonemon) of the production of a phosphorescent compound,
at the expense of the disintegrating tissues, which compound
passes off through one of the ordinary channels of excretion."
I transcribe the following two letters, which were
written on Harrington's Lights, one by a personal
observer, the other by a literary writer of the period,
and which must, therefore, possess more direct inte-
rest, than any descriptive account, which is the result
of hearsay evidence and report, after a lengthened
space of time. The first is from the pen of a writer
for the Neio Monthly Magazine, a periodical in exist-
ence thirty years ago : — I
" It was our wish to have gone from Bantry to Skibbereen
to investigate the marvellous appearances in its neighbourhood,
about which people were talking through the whole south of
Ireland, but circumstances would not -permit it. Many well*
informed people who had visited the scene had spoken of it in
terms that kindled curiosity. All allowed — the ladies in par-
ticular — that there was a mystery about it; many were
rersuaded there was something supernatural. In a cottage,
about, two miles from Skibbereen, lived a man of the name of
Harrington, poor, yet intelligent, and believed to be very pious;
the situation of his home was singularly desolate, on a low,
dreary beach, the sea in front, and a marshy swamp behind ;
its interior was poor, and, like other Irish cabins, without win-
13
i78 Sketches in Carbery.
dows ; two rooms, with a damp, earthen floor, a cheerless home '
even in health and strength, but in disease and helplessness the
cloud of the valley would be sweeter, and the head would ache
. no more. • .
" Three years since Harrington felt very ill, and was confined
wholly to his bed, yet able to read and converse ; his books
wholly religious ; his only companion and attendant was his
mother. A few months afterwards lights began to be visible in
the cottage; the rumour of them soon attracted people from
Skibbereen to the spot, whose report induced others. from a
greater distance, from Bantry, Cork, and tats interior, gradually
to come and examine for . themselves. It seems that all were
struck, and none satisfied with what they saw. Their appear-
ance was like a faint moonlight, that fell on the wall of the
chamber ; at times it was a bright light that covered the whole
wall or moved in portions up and down it, and often deepened
into a yellow tint.
"Among the numerous visitors were ministers, men of science,
families from their country seats, fox-hunters, and devotees,
carriages, pedestrians, and horsemen. It was called at last the
Skibbereen lights, and baffled every attempt of the clever and
credulous to discover fraud or imposture. In the inner room,
on a low bed, beside the wall, destitute of every comfort, lay
the desolate Harrington, in the calm light of whose eye, and, in
the composure of whose tone there was evidently no pain of
conscience or depravity of heart. He said he was happy night
and day though his suffering was great. He never solicited
help or charity. The little he possessed seemed to be sufficient
for his wants, and he did not seem to care for more. A -few of
his visitors sometimes left a trifle behind them, but the greater
part gave nothing. He was so emaciated that it seemed as if
life could not long remain in such a frame ; the arm was but
skin and bone, and after nearly a year had passed, those who
saw him again were surprised to perceive the same emaciation.
He was about thirty-five, and passed his time in reading and .
prayer, chiefly, it was said, in the latter
'• A lady, of literary powers and success, related to us while at
her house, a visit of some days which she had paid to this scene.
' To the cottage she went often, and saw again and again the
lights, and observed them keenly and coolly, but could not trace
or imagine the cause of their startling appearance ; they fell
suddenly on the wall always of the sick man's room, they flashed
brightly before the eye, and moved slowly, or mantled the side
.Sketches in Carbery. If 9
of the wall in a steady light, remaining for some minutes, or
passing away as suddenly its tbey came ; there was no crevice
or aperture in the chamber through which light could enter ;
there was a fireplace and chimney, but no fire was ever lighted
whilst the visitors were there, and clothes were hung over the
door, and one or two places in the wall, at the wish of those
who came, that no gleam could enter, so that on these
occasions the dark chamber was darkened yet more ; the con-
fined floor was often covered with visitors, handsomely-dressed
women, and the gay, the serious, and the wealthy were there,
and many a face was pale, as if touched by the unearthly li<rht,
and every voice was hushed ; the dying man, as he seemed to
all, was before them, in whose skeleton hand was the mystery,
true or false, of this extraordinary appearance. They waited
on some occasions long in suspense, at others expectation was
quickly gratified.'
" A gentleman, whom we know, and who was several times
on the spot, said that he saw them once at noon. The day is
not the usual time of their appearance, but the evening and
night. There is no noise or confusion about the house ; no
Irish sounds of wonder, wail or alarm ; there is a quietness and
decency about the manners and demeanour of the people; their
conduct is closely observed, and at these times, when the mother
is generally in the chamber, with an inquisitorial exactness.
" There is a cabin at no great distance from the home of
Harrington, where it was suspected at first that some collusion
might be carried on; in this cabin, therefore, a person was
stationed to detect any suspicious signs, but there were none.
The roof also of the sick man's cottage was carefully examined,
and no clue to artifice or hypocrisy was found. So many intel-
ligent, educated, and watchful observers could not thus be
deceived; such, at least, was their own opinion. It was con-
jectured that from the desolate and marshy places behind the
house some vapour or miasma might be the cause. On exami-
nation this did not appear to be possible.
"Among the visitors was one of considerable eminence in the
scientific world, whose calm and philosophic spirit of investiga-
tion could not discover the cause of the celebrated 'Skibbereen
Lights,' which we saw more than once. It was a fit situation
for the wonderful and wild : the lone cottage of the friendless
man on a dreary shore, on which is the ceaseless moan of the
sea, and half the year, of the wild winds, and behind is a sullen
marsh. Many who have come here in the winter season, of
13*
180 Sketches in Carbery.
even on a dull cloudy day have felt the influence of the scene. '
If there be deception so long and still kept up, there must be
exquisite art and management in the actors: rarely has a spot
so desolate and reft of human agency been chosen wherein to '
deceive mankind.
" The delusion is then as masterly as that of Mesmer, and if
the feebleness of the agents be considered it is more successfully,
maintained. The simplicity of the machinery, which requires
no aid from the imaginations, or sympathies of the observers,
gives this marvellous appearance on the desert shore the advan-
tage over each German pretension. Seeing is believing. One
sense only is exercised, and that the most difficult to be inis«.
taken, in so confined a space — the waves in front — the marsh
behind — no fire or light within — the only shadow that falls is
that of the passing cloud."
The nest letter is from Dr. Donovan, senior, who
was medical attendant upon Harrington : — ,
"TO THE EDITOR OF THE DUBLIN MEDICAL PRESS.
" STdbbereen, November Wi, 1839.
"In the description of Harrington's Lights by the writer for
the JS'ew Monthly Magazine, there are many inaccuracies.
Harrington's house was not situated in a tenely and desolate
spot, but in a populous and neat village, on the harbour of
Glandore, one of the most beautiful and picturesque spots on '
the southern coast of Ireland, and instead of the dreary marsh
to the rere, there was a dry, precipitous, and lofty hill. I will
not notice any more of the errors of the writer, but shall proceed
to detail the real circumstances.
" Quorum pars Magna Fid.
" I was sent for in December, 1828, to see the subject of this
sketch. He had been under the care of my predecessor, and
had been entered in the dispensary book as a phthisical patient.
, , . . . He was under my care for about five years,
during which time, strange to say, his symptoms continued
stationary, and I had discontinued my attendance for about two
years, when the report became general that mysterious lights
were seen in his cabin.
" The subject attracted a great deal of attention, some attn
Sketches in Carbery.
181
buting the lights to the miraculous interposition of Heaven,
others to the practice of the- black art. To myself they were
represented by one gentleman as a beacon that would guide
me securely into the harbour of truth, by another as an ignis
fatuus that would lead me into the regions of demonism and
necromancy. Not regarding these views- as offering any expla-
nation of the mystery, I determined to subject the matter to
the ordeal of my own senses, and for this purpose visited the
cabin for fourteen nights, and for three nights only did I witness
anythirig unusual ; once I perceived a luminous fog resembling
the aurora borealis ; twice I saw scintillations like the sparkling
phosphorescence sometimes exhibited by the sea infusoria. At
the time the appearances were so faint as not to enable me to
say with any degree of certainty whether they proceeded from
luminous bodies, or were the mere freaks of fancy, others
declared that they saw brilliant stars, blazing suns, pillars of
fire, &c. &c.
"This discrepancy led many to attribute these igneous won-
ders to supernatural agency, and the splendour with which they
were seen was regarded as a test of the worthiness of the beholder.
I would not consider this opinion deserving of a serious refuta-
tion, were it not that it was entertained by many well-educated
and otherwise intelligent individuals, and under these circum-
stances I beg to be excused for digressing into the province of
the divine to discuss the question of their miraculous origin.
"To constitute a miracle there must be an interruption of the
ordinary laws of nature, but the lights in question were obedient
to the laws by which luminous bodies are governed, viz., that
the fainter are eclipsed by the more brilliant, as to render them
visible it was necessary to extinguish candles, &c
" I at first thought some legerdemain had been practised, but
upon reflection found that I was wrong. In the first place it is
improbable that this dying man, who had neither hopes of
living, nor any wish to live, would be guilty of fraud. Secondly,
the respectability and integrity of those in immediate com-
munication with him removed all idea of collusion. Lastly,
from the close scrutiny I have made I can with certainty say
no jugglery was either employed or attempted. Having met
the foregoing reasons with a direct negative, I come now to
consider those causes, among which an explanation of the phe-
nomenon in question is, I believe, to be found, and these I shall
arrange under the following heads ; —
182 Sketches in Carbery.
"Excitement of the Imagination— Luminous Exhalations from " f
the Soil—Phosphorescence of the Retina— Evolution of Light from
the Body of the Patient. ■ - :
"Excitement of the Imagination. — There' was certainly on
some occasions at the scene of these lights everything calculated
to work upon the imagination. The darkness of the cabin, the
hollow, sepulchral voice of the dying man, and the enthusiastic :
manner of the devotees who sat at his bedside, were likely to ,
make a deep impression on the mind, and had, I have no doubt,
the effect of magnifying the matter to the minds of some, but '
these excitants were not sufficiently strong to make me believe
that I saw light where it was not, and, moreover, on two of the
nights when I saw these appearances, there was an absence of
thecauses that I have enumerated as likely to excite the imagi-
nation. . . ° J
" Luminous Exhalations from the Soil are out of the question.
In -the same locality there were several other houses, and yet in
none_ of them was a similar phenomenon ever seen, nor in this',
was it ever witnessed since or before.
" Phosphorescence of the Eetina. —This property of the optic
nerve, to which Sir David Brewster particularly refers (optical
illusions) is notjufficient to account for the phenomenon in
question. He states that it is produced by pressure on the eye-
ball. I have frequently since forcibly compressed my eyes with I
the muscles as strong as I could, and yet have not been able to
create such appearances as those that I have witnessed at Har-
rington's ; and if they were attributable to this cause they should
seem more vivid immediately after the candles were extinguished ■
than in some time after which was not the case.
"Evolution of Light from the Body of the Sick Man.— In this
I believe we have an explanation of the mystery. I am of
opinion that the appearances which I witnessed were dependent
on the presence of phosphorescent matter in the expiratory and
perspiratory secretions. The property which phosphureted-
hydrogen has of undergoing spontaneous combustion when,
brought in contact with atmospheric air is well known, and as
the components of which this is made up exist in abundance in
the human body, it is not outstretching the bounds of proba-
bility to suppose^ that it is sometimes generated in the living
system. Dr. Apjohn believes that it is sometimes the product
of diseased action. Fodere states that he has witnessed in the
Jiving body the morbid secretion of a gas, similar in its properties ;
Sketches in Carbery.
183
to that which covers cemeteries, and which, by the spontaneous
production of flame, forms the ignisfatuus, so frequently observed
in those localities. The spontaneous combustion of the human
body is now generally admitted, and this constitutes a much
more remarkable phenomenon than the one we have been con-
sidering, as the morbid secretions in' this case must consist of.
much more inflammable materials than are merely necessary for
the production of light.
" Tiedman attributes the phosphorescence of decayed wood to
an eminently combustible combination of carbon, hydrogen and
oxygen, and as all these simple substances exist in abundance
in the human body their combination may, under peculiar cir-
cumstances, take place, and produce phosphorescent emanations.
To one or two of these causes I attribute the evolution of light
from the body of my patient. But it may be argued, if lumi-
nous exhalations really took place from the body of this man, as
proceeding from fixed causes, that their operation would be con-
stant and their effect uniform. I do not think that their operation
would be constant, as they would be modified by the state of the
atmosphere, as to electricity, moisture, &c, and as to the uni-
formity of their action we must take into consideration the differ-
ences in the mental" constitutions of those who saw them. The
faint appearances which were really seen by men of dispassionate
minds were regarded as inere freaks of fancy, whilst they were
magnified into brilliant orbs and resplendent meteors by the
ardent and enthusiastic, who embodied in phantasms their own
hopes and fears, and beheld, in the creations of their imagina-
tions, all the realities of direct vision,"
1S4 Sketches in Carbety,
CHAPTER XL
Glandore, origin of the name— Fairy legend about the Princess
Cleena — Carraic Cleena — Eemarks on both by Drs. Todd and
Joyce, M.E.I. A. — Glandore Castle — The Fisheries Spirited
exertions of James Eedmond Barry, Esq. — Poem on Glandore—
Capture of a whale— Myross House— The Leap— Smith's account
of the dangerous passage across the ravine — Ballinlough Lis-an-
Earla and the legend of Tir-na-nOgue — Loughdrine, and the
floating islands— Fairs, faction fights, and festivities — Philosopher'
Thompson and the co-operative communities — Scenery between
Eoss and Glandore — Pouladav, curious formation — Ballyverine
House, or Coppinger's Court, and a short sketch of Sir Walter
Coppinger— Benduff Castle, its history— The Morrises— Penn, &c.
Glandore Harbour is decidedly one of the most
picturesque inlets of the sea along our southern'
coast. "We do not observe there scenery upon a
magnificent or imposing scale, such as we witness in
Killarney's far-famed lakes, or amidst the Highlands
of Scotland, or along the wild coasts of Norway ; we
have no rich valleys or fertile plains in the neigh-
bourhood; nevertheless, we perceive a charming
variety and harmonious arrangement of rock and
water, of hill and dale, which bestow upon this
favoured locality some secret spell wherewith to bind
the observer to the spot, and create feelings of plea-
sure and delight in the most careless spectator, as
well as in the most ardent lover of nature.
The ancient name of Glandore was Cuan Dor, or
more properly, according to the local Irish pronun-
ciation, "Cuan Dair," which would signify The
Harbour of the Oak, which tree was in former times
PH
Sketches in Carboy. 185
so abundant throughout Ireland, and no doubt
nourished luxuriantly in the immediate neighbour-
hood of Glandore, where it still remains partly rooted
to the soil. Cuan Dor, according to Dr. Todd, who
is a great authority, means the golden harbour : the
pronunciation by the resident population does not
confirm this meaning.
A FAIRY LEGEND.
To pass from fact to fiction, from everyday life
to the misty regions of romance and legendary lore,
I beg to introduce to the reader's notice one of the
many fairy legends which, although of an unreal
nature, has, however, imparted a considerable share
of notoriety and fame to the name of Glandore.
Cliodhna (Cleena), the queen of the fairies of South
Munster, is said to have been chained to a rock near
Glandore harbour ._ Her deeds of supernatural pOwer
and the fairy spells she exercised over mortals have
been celebrated from time immemorial in the ancient
manuscripts of the county, and in the traditionary
stories of the peasantry. In a work of the late Dr.
Todd, of Trinity College, entitled " The War of the
Gaedhill against the Gaill ; or, Invasions of Ireland
by the Danes and other Norsemen," is the following
passage: — "During Brian Boru's administration
he banished and enslaved the foreigners, and rescued
the country from oppression. A lone woman might
have walked in safety from Torach,.now Tory Island,
off the north coast of Donegal, to Cliodhna, a rock
in the harbour of Glandore, i. e., through tbe whole
length of Ireland, carrying a ring of gold on a horse
rod." Referring to Cuan Dor, he remarks : — " In
this bay is the rock called Cliodhna's, upon which
186 _ Sketches in Carlery?-
beats a wave called Tonn Cliodhna (Tun Cleena)
Cliodhna's wave is said to utter a plaintive sound'?
when a monarch of the south of Ireland dies."'
Cliodhna was the name of a princess in an ancient
Irish legend —
" 'Twas said whene'er a monarch dropped
Off Munster's roll of fame,
From the wave which Carraic Cleena stopped,
A wail of sorrow came." , "
In another part of the work is the following trans-
lation from an ancient Irish manuscript :—" After :
the banishment of the foreigners out of Erinn, and
after Erinn was reduced to a state of peace, a lone
woman came from Torach, in the north of Erinn,'
carrying a ring of gold on a horse-rod,- and she was
neither robbed nor insulted, whereupon the poet
sung:
" From Torach to pleasant Cliodhna,
And carrying with her a ring of gold,
In the time of Brian, of the bright side, fearless,
A lone woman made the circuit of Erin." .
This was the original poem, which roused the magio •
power of song in the soul of Ireland's most illustrious
poet, and suggested to him the idea of that most
beautiful Irish melody :
" Eich and rare were the gems she wore."
"Warner, in his " History of Ireland," Vol; i.,
Book x., alluding to this subject, tells us the anec-
dote as follows : —
" The people were inspired with such a sense of
honour, virtue, and religion, by the great example
of Brian, and by his excellent administration, that,
as a proof of it, we are informed that a young lady,-
Sketches in Carhery. 187
of great beauty, adorned with jewels and a costly
dress, undertook a journey alone from one end of
the kingdom to another, with a wand only in her
hand, at the top of which was a ring of exceeding-
great value, and such an impression had the laws
and government of this monarch made on the minds
of all the people that no attempt was made on her
honour, nor was she robbed of her clothes or
jewels."
In Corca Laidhe the following remarks are made
regarding Carraic Cliodhna : —
"Between Ross Bay and the Galley Head, a
strand is situated called Traigh Claine (the slop-
ing strand), off which standing in the water
at a short distance from the beach is a rock
called Carraic Cliodhna." Such being the case,
it is about four miles to the east of Glandore Har-
bour.
It was also called the " Bock," par excellence, to
distinguish it from other rocks in the vicinity, which
were of less note and importance. The veritable
Carraic Cliodhna, answering to the above descrip-
tion, is pointed out by the peasantry to any person
who chooses to make inquiries. It is immediately
underneath Castle Freke, near the water's edge, off
the sloping strand, and resembles in the dis-
tance the dark-looking hull of an iron-clad man of
war. :
When the surf breaks on this rock, the contrast is
very marked between the dark hue of Carraic
Cliodhna, and the white-crested waves, and pro-
duces a striking effect.
Before bringing to a close my remarks on the
renowned fairy queen, or banshee, and her sea-
girt prison, it will prove interesting to introduce the
188 Sketches in Carbery.
following extract from Dr. Joyce's work," "Irish.
Names of Places " : —
"Besides the celebrated fairy haunts mentioned
at page 170, there are several other places in diffe-<
rent parts of Ireland, presided over, each by its own i
guardian spirit, and among them several female
fairies or banshees. Some of these are very famous
and though belonging to particular places, are cele-
brated by the bards over the whole of Ireland."
Cloidhna (Cleena) is the potent banshee that rules
as queen over the fairies of south Munster ; and yon
will hear innumerable stories among the peasantry
of the exercise of her powerful spells. Edward Walsh.
makes his lover of 'O'Donovan's Daughter' thus
express himself: —
" ' God grant 'tis no fay from Knockfierna that woos me,
God grant 'tis not Cleena the queen that pursues me,
That my soul, lost and lone, has no witchery wrought her.
While I dream of dark groves and O'Donovan's daughter.
" In the ' Dinnsenchus' there is an ancient poetical
love story, of which Cleena is the heroine, wherein ,
it is related that she was a foreigner, and that she
was drowned in the harbour of Giandore, near Skib-
bereen, in Cork. In this harbour the sea at certain
times utters a very peculiar, deep, hollow, and melan-
choly roar among the caverns of the cliffs, and this
surge has been from time immemorial called .Tonn-
Cleena (Cleena's wave). Cleena had her palace in
the heart of a great rock, situated about five miles
south south-west from Mallow. It is still well
known by the name of Carrig-Cleena, and it has
given name to two townlands."
Two castles formerly flourished at Giandore.
They have been replaced now to a great extent by
Sketches in Carbefy.
189
buildings of a more modern date. The one near the
harbour's mouth was called Kilfinnan. The other
situated near the village of Glandore, and at present
styled Glandore Castle, the property of James Red-
mond Barry, was formerly called Cloghatrabally,
meaning the " stone fortress of the strand town."
It was built by the chief of the Barretts of Munster,
A. D. 1215. Timoleague and Dundeide Castle were
built about the same time by Nicholas Boy De Barry.
In A. D. 1260, Glandore Castle was broken down
by Finghin Reanna Roin, son of Domhnall Cot
McCarthy. It was rebuilt soon again, and then
after a long lapse of time came into the possession
of Domhnall Na Caston O'Donovan, the chief of
Clanloughlin, a district lying between Glandore and
Ross. This chieftain died in 1580 (see " Annals of
Innisfallen"). Like many other old castles, that of
Glandore is said to have had underground cells or
chambers, from which subterranean passages led down
towards the sea-side. These were used as places of
retreat and modes of escape in times of pressing
danger.
In former years, not long past either, regattas
were annual occurrences in Glandore, and all the
arrangements connected with them were perfect and
on a most advanced scale. Yachts came round from
Queenstown to compete for prizes, and crews of stal-
wart peasants from the surrounding country dis-
played their prowess as oarsmen in friendly rivalryi
The entire performance wound up with a ball at the
Castle. On these occasions the village and the ad^
jacent positions of advantage for sightseers were
thronged with a gay and cheerful crowd, in holiday
costume, enjoying the amusements of the day, and
no more charming tout ensemble could be observed
190
Sketches in Carbery,
than that which Grlandore presented on a fine regatta-
day. *
Grlandore, as a fishing station, ought to attain to
some importance if capital were expended, and enter-
prise and energy awakened to carry out a more com-
plete and extensive system of deep-sea fishing ' than
exists at present. The sea off Grlandore, and, in
fact off all the harhours along the coast, abounds in
edible fish of all varieties. The native fishermen,
owing to want of scientific training and capital, have
neither boats, luggers, nor smacks, as a rule, suffi-
ciently seaworthy and capacious, nor fishing gear of-
proper efficiency to enable them to take larger hauls
of fish in the deep waters. The consequence is that
during the summer months fleets of luggers and
smacks come across from Cornwall, the Isle of Man,
Boulogne, and Dieppe to the Irish coast, where. the
mackerel, pilchards, and herrings swarm in immense
shoals, and make a rich harvest. A single take of
fish is sometimes valued at £200. During the year
1868 it appears that over £100,000 worth of fish
was exported by the foreign fishermen who frequent
Eansale Harbour, and this is probably now on the
increase. These facts show a great want of employed
capital, local enterprise, and development of indus-
trial resources in this part of the country, when
French and English luggers come from such a dis-
tance, and almost monopolize the deep-sea fisheries
along the coast, which should be, if things were
managed properly, an abundant source of employ-
ment to the labouring classes of the community, and
which constitute a very important branch of com-
merce and industry in every country.
Lewis, in his topographical dictionary, referring
to Grlandore, says; — "This seems to have .been a
Sketches in Carbery.
191
place of some importance at an early period, as
appears from the erection of the castles 01' Glandore
and Kilfinnan. Formany years it continued in an
impoverished state, but it has again become a place
of considerable note through the spirited exertions
of its present proprietor, J. Eedmond Barry, Esq.,
who has, -within the last few years, expended upwards
of £10,000 in various improvements." The result
of this benevolence and praiseworthy exertion in
developing the resources of the place has been to
secure for him the warm esteem and deep respect
of the gentry and people in the barony of Car-
bery.
The charms of Glandore have been celebrated in
verse by Dr. Murray, whose graphic and descriptive
lines are, I am sure, familiar to the generality of my
readers. I have ventured to introduce the following
lines, written during a leisure hour, while sojourning
at Glandore and admiring the beautiful scenery of
the neighbourhood, so favoured by nature, and so
interesting in every feature.
GLANDORE.
Of all the gems which deck our isle,
And stud our native shore,
None wears for me a sunny smile
So bright as sweet Glandore.
Though other views may far excel,
In wooded mount and lake,
In sparkling stream and lonely dell,
Thee I can ne'er forsake .
Glandore's romantic harbour, glen,
A tribute well may claim
From far a worthier writer's penj
To celebrate thy fame.
192 Sketches in Carbery.
Eillarney's lakes and changing skies
• Her mountains bold and grand
May bear away the highest prize '
For beauty in our land.' '
GlengarifF, too, with varied scene,
And charms that never tire,
With fairy nooks of emerald green
I love so, and admire.
Where some bright spell for ever wakes,
To chain us to the spot ;
Such impress on the mind it makes
Once seen 'tis ne'er forgot.
Behold the broad and sparkling Lee
With verdant banks so fair,
No river runs into the sea
That with thee can compare.
But oh ! there is some magic power
Which holds a greater sway,
And still it grows with every hour
In Glandore's placid bay.
For here the thoughts of youth's gay timet
Of boyhood's pleasant days,
Will make it seem to us sublime,
Whilst wandering through life's maze.
The gentle zephyr from the south
Comes stealing o'er the sea,
And wafted in the harbour's mouth,
Blows o'er the fertile lea.
It whispers softly to the groves,
Which bud forth in the spring,
And through the beautous flowers it roves,
Which summer time doth bring.
Close to a white and shelving strand
An ancient castle 's seen,
Where chieftains held a high command
In olden times I ween.
Sketches in Cavbevy.
A verdant sward around is spread,
And ivy-clad the walls ;
Alas ! its glories all have fled,
Deserted are its halls.
Yes ! it is not so much the soft,
And fragrant balmy air,
That bids us linger here so oft
EDj'oy each scene so fair.
'Tis musing o'er the happy past
We spent with friends of yore ;
Such memories I cherish fast,
And link them with Glandore.
Though clouds may dim the sky at times,
And storms may hover round,
I love thee more than other climes,
Where azure skies abound.
When twilight steals from out the west,
At eve of summer day,
" And nature tired inclines to rest,
I glance out on the bay.
And often linger on the beach,
Past times to ponder o'er,
Each merry laugh and pleasant speech
I heard in dear Glandore.
Farewell, thou charming, treasured spot
On Carb'ry's sea-girt shore,
Thy beauty ne'er will be forgot
By one who loves Glandore.
193
About twenty-five years ago, a whale of very large
proportions paid a visit to Glandore Harbour. It
belonged to a species called the " Rorqual, or Razor
Backed," the largest of the whale tribe, some of
which attain to the length of 110 feet. This specie
14
194 Sketches in Carbery.
men was about seventy-five feet long, the other
measurements being in proportion. "WHlst in the
eager pursuit of a shoal of fish, he approached the
harbour's mouth, and ran aground near The Sta<
of Beans, a rock near the east end of Rabbit Idan
He contrived to get jammed between two
rocks, during the ebb of the tide, and remained so
perfectly motionless at the time that he was supposed
by lookers-on to be dead. On the return of the tide
when placed in his native element, he flapped about
violently with his tail, making desperate efforts to
extricate himself (all to no purpose, however) from
the constrained position he was in, and caused con-
siderable commotion amongst many persons present,
who were unprepared for such an event. A novel
plan was adopted in order to secure the whale in the
position he had taken up ; a large hole was dug in
the blubber, and the fluke of a heavy anchor imbedded
firmly in this hole. .The whale was claimed as
Royalty, but after some time, in consequence of its
rapid decomposition and the offensive smell gene-
rated, it had to be towed into deep water and sunk.
As we follow the windings of the harbour towards
Leap, we cannot fail being impressed with thepio-
turesque nature of the scenery, which only requires
a more general distribution of wood to render it per-
fect. Near Leap is situated the demesne of Myross
Wood, which has a very pleasing effect when seen
from the opposite side, the green slopes and rising
grounds being thickly wooded down to the water's
edge. Myross House is a plain, substantial, and
commodious-looking house; it formerly was the resi-.
dence of the third Earl of Kingston, before he-built
Mitchelstown Castle, one of the finest private resi-
dences in the south of Ireland. Myross House after-
•v.-.
Sketches in Carbcry.
195
wards belonged to a Mr. Coppinger, and finally came
into the possession of its present proprietor, J. H.
Townsend, Esq.
On the west side of Glandore Harbour, near the
Leap, underneath Myross House, a small island
existed formerly, which, according to Smith, was
formed in a very peculiar manner. He says :
" That, by the working of the sea previous to his
own time, a large part of the hill fell down, on which
grew some trees. This piece formed an island of
about twenty yards in circumference, and the trees
continued to grow, but it is now almost completely
washed away."
At the extreme end of Grlandore Harbour stands
the little village of Leap, anciently called Ceann
Mara (the Head of the Sea) .
O'Donovan, in "The Genealogy of Corca Laidhe "
makes the following annotation : " Ceann Mara
(Head of the Sea) : this was. the ancient name of
the head of Cuan Dor, or Glandore Harbour, at
O'Donovan's Leap." The latter appellation it derived
from a person of that name having formerly accom-
plished a wonderful jump across the deep ravine
near the little village.
This place formed part of the route through which
Sir George Carew's army marched on their way to
the siege of Dunboy, as we learn from the " Pacata
Hibernia" that, after leaving Eosscarbery on the
25th April, 1602, Carew passed over The Leap, thence
to Castlehaven and Baltimore, and so on. Before
the present main road was laid down across Leap
the passage over the ravine must have been difficult
and dangerous. Smith says : —
" At the upper end of Glandore Harbour is a deep
and dangerous glen, called ' The Leap,' on both
14*
196 Sketches in Carbery.
sides of which is the high road from Eoss to the
other parts of "West Carbery. The road crosses this
glen, which is here as steep as a flight of stairs, so
that few horses hut those that are well used to it
would attempt it with courage."
Close to Leap is Brede House, formerly the seat
of the Jervois family in Carbery. About the begin-
ning of the present century the Eev. Arthur Herbert,
Eector of Myross, purchased a portion of the Jervis
estate, and erected there, on the west side of Grlan-
dore Harbour, Myross House, already noticed in a
recent paragraph.
At one place, a short distance above the bridge,
near Leap, though the breadth across is only a few
feet, there is a clear descent to the bottom on either
side of about fifty feet, the surface of the rock at
the same time being as smooth as if it were cut with
a saw.
The small stream which runs through the ravine
and into Glandore Harbour, comes from a lake called
Ballinlough, situated about two miles to the north of
Leap, in the parish of Kilmacabea. This diminutive
stream has the honour of forming the boundary line
between the Baronies of East and "West Carbery.
In the olden times all that part of Carbery which
lay to the west of Leap was in a very unreclaimed
state, and its fastnesses and bogs afforded such facility
for escape and concealment to persons dreading crimi-
nal prosecutions for acts of violence, or to persons
fearing political persecution, that the following saying
passed into a sort of proverb : —
" Beyond the T.eap, beyond the law."
From the high land to the north of Leap, called
Keamore, may be obtained a good view of Grlandore
Sketches in Carbery.
197
and Castletownsend Harbours, and the adjacent
coast.
Ballinlough Lake was formerly celebrated for its
large red trout. It was also called Aghill Lough,
aghill being a species of freshwater eel which abounded
in the lake. It is a curious fact that shell-fish are
found in its waters, especially wrinkles, exactly
similar to those which exist on the sea-beach. On
the north side of Ballinlough, near the road, on the
summit of a steep hill, we observe a very fine lis,
popularly called a Danish fort, styled Lis an Earla
(the Earl's Fort). In the enclosure within the inner
rampart are numerous pits leading to subterranean
passages, most of which are nearly closed up at pre-
sent by the sinking in of the soil. One of these pas-
sages is said to have led down to the lake.
Mrs. and Mr. Hall, in their work on Ireland, refer
to a strange legend connected with this old lis —
the tradition being that the subterranean passage
imagined to connect it with the lake was carefully
guarded by the fairies both day and night. It was
also believed to lead to some bright and happy
elysium beneath the waters of the lake called Tir-
na-noge (the land of youth), whose inhabitants
never suffered from the infirmities of old age, but
always basked in the sunlight of perennial youth.
About two miles east of Ballinlough, and a mile
east of Conanagh, we observe a small lake called
Lough Adereen, very insignificant in appearance, but
still worthy of notice. The lake is bounded on one
side by a bog, which has encroached upon its surface,
making it much smaller now than it formerly was.
Small floating islands, at one time in considerable
numbers, existed on the lake — a few are only to be
seen now. These islands were supposed by the
198 Sketches in Carbery.
country people to change places, and shift from one
side to the other upon one particular day in the year,
and hence they believed that there was something
miraculous about the matter.
The islands themselves are formed in a peculiar
manner — portions of coarse grass, blown by strong
winds upon the surface of the water during the
autumn, occasionally become matted together by
their tenacious roots, and whilst floating round the ]
sides of the lake collect particles of earth and seeds
of plants. In this way a small island is formed in
course of time, which is enabled to float on the sur-
face by reason of the light and turfy nature of its
component parts. Sometimes also portions of the
bog, by the undermining action of the water,'
become detached from the mainland, and also form
smallfloatingislands, on which growshrubs and weeds.
We observe a small island of the same formation
on one of the Shepperton Lakes. They are very
numerous in Carnarvonshire, but the place most
celebrated for its floating islands was the lake near
the city of Mexico, where Prescott says that they
existed in large numbers, and some of them so ex-
tensive that they formed residences for colonies of
the people, who gained a livelihood by the cultiva-
tion of vegetables and flowers on these peculiar
dwelling-places. Whenever the residents wanted to
change from one locality to another they moved the
islands about the edge of the lake by the use of long
poles.
To return, however, to the subject we are dis-
cussing, we find that formerly great numbers of
people collected together in the neighbourhood of
Lough Adereen, and that the same observances were
carried on many years ago which exist in a minor degree
Sketches in Carlery.
199
at the present day. Close to the lake is pointed out
a spot where once was an altar. It was also the
custom to tie pieces of cloth to a neighbouring bush,
and bring portions of bread and meal with which to
feed the fish of the lake. Patterns and fairs were
also held here on the east side of the lake, on a
townland called Gortroe, and on these occasions,
music, dancing, and feastings were the order of the
day, which generally wound up with faction-fights
or a general scrimmage.
The various septs, and families in the parish of
Kilmacabea made use of the fairs and patterns as
opportunities for testing their comparative merits in
the handling of the shillelagh. The place was very
convenient, too, for such engagements, as blackthorns
and oak-sticks grew abundantly in the neighbour-
hood. However, from use of the stick, when long-
continued disputes had fired their blood, and roused
a sanguinary spirit, they proceeded to the adoption
of deadlier weapons — guns, swords, bayonets, and
pikes.
About fifty years ago a terrible fight occurred, in
which a man named Callaghan was shot down and
bayoneted. After this occurrence the patterns and
fairs died out, chiefly through the influence of Dr.
Collins, who was Bishop of Ross at the time. Al-
though we must hail with satisfaction the dying out
of the faction-fights of olden times, we must admit
that with them have become extinct, in a great
degree, the rollicking fun and jovial merriment
which characterised the Irishmen of a former era-
In the neighbourhood of Lough Adereen, referred
to in the last sketch, is a townland called Carhoogariff
(the rough quarter). This land belonged, about
forty years ago, to a very remarkable and eccentric
200 Sketches in Carbery.
personage, a philosopher (Thompson), whoso peculiar
habits, strange creed, and extraordinary theories
created a great sensation in Glandore, and the imme
diate vicinity at the period alluded to.
The philosopher was the son of a Cork merchant
lie spent a considerable portion of his time in France
and Belgium previous to 1830, where he imbibed
the revolutionary doctrines prevalent in France at
the time. He was in the habit of visiting Glandore
occasionally, and settled down there a short time
before his death, which took place in 1832.
He soon became a man of local celebrity on account
of the eccentricity of his character. Thompson
belonged to a society called Communists, or Social-
ists, which made itself prominent in his time ; they
existed in France under the name of St. Simonians,
and also m the United States. These men derived
their political and moral ideas from the writings of
Voltaire, and other sceptical philosophers of his
stamp. In Scotland and England, Owen, Hamil-
ton, and Combe were the chief supporters of the
system.
It appears that, in the year 1830, 300 of these co-
operative trading fund associations, as they were
called, were associated together in England, Ireland,
and Scotland. The central one was situated in Lon-
don, at Eed Lion Square, and called the London
Association for the Promotion of Co-operative Know-
ledge. The government of the body was deputed
to central and local boards, chosen annually by a
congress of delegates from all the branches of the
association. At a co-operative congress, held in
London, during the year 1869, it was proved that in
1867, 171,807 members existed, with a capital of
£o,001,lo3, but it was fully admitted that the
"3?
Sketches in Garbery. 201
acquisition of wealth alone was their main ob-
ject.
Thompson being in possession of Carhoogariff,
and having a considerable amount of money at his
command, determined on gratifying his hobby and
carrying into practical effect his favourite idea,
viz., " The establishment of a community on the
principles of mutual co-operation, united possessions,
and equality of exertions and the means of enjoy-
ment." The philosopher wrote a work, indicating in
its title the principles referred to. Under the system
which he wished to establish, a number of persons
were to settle on a spot of ground, which was to be
divided into equal lots of, say one acre to each person,
every individual at the same time, bringing in a
capital of from £20 to £100, as the case might be.
Each person was to pursue the avocation in life
which pleased him most, or for which he was best
suited. He was to have an interest, and share in
the general property of the community whilst he
contributed by his personal exertions to the welfare
of all, exchanging when he wished the products of
his own industry for any articles belonging to other
members which he might require, and so forth.
Thompson laid the foundations of a row of build-
ings at Carhoogariff, where the co-operative com-
munity should reside. Not content with building
castles in the air, he determined to build on a more
solid foundation, and accordingly he erected a sort
of modern round tower or turret at Carhoogariff, and
furnished it as a private residence. The ruins of
the turret are to be seen at present. The philosopher,
however, did not live to carry into execution his
Utopian views, as death cut him off in the midst of
his speculations. He died in 1832.
202 Sketches in Cavbery.
All ideas of establishing the community were '
abandoned on his death. He left the hulk of his •
property to some co-operative society to carry out '
the formation of a socialist community. His will
was upset at law, being declared invalid, as it was
maintained that the property was willed for immoral-
purposes, one of his peculiar principles being that" 7
there should be no necessity for marriage ceremonies m
in the society, but that there should be a community^
of wives as well as of property. Thompson, though-
a visionary and a theorist, was a man of acute intel-'
lect, and considerable information. He was a strict
vegetarian, and very temperate in his habits. His
political opinions were those of a Eed Bepublican; -
having spent a portion of his life in France. He
adopted as his political code the revolutionary ideas
which prevailed there at the time, and which reached . '
their climax in 1830. He used to walk about Grlan-
dore, carrying a tri-coloured flag at the end of his
walking-stick. The country people looked upon him.
as a sort of magician, as he was in the habit of pub-
licly exhibiting experiments of a chemical nature. :
The philosopher was considered a man of ability by
his own peculiar fraternity.
One of Thompson's more practicable and reason-
able speculations was the establishment of a Deep
Sea Fishery Company to superintend and develop
the fisheries along the south coast, making Glandore
the chief depot and centre of action, but this, like
the other projects, fell to the ground. In his will
he bequeathed his body to his medical attendant,
giving most minute particulars as to the preparation
of the skeleton, and how the ribs were to be tipped
with silver, that it might present a fashionable appear-
ance. A phrenologist named Monsieur Baume came
Sketches in Carbery. 203
across from London to claim the cranium, in order
to lecture on its phrenological development. The
property of Thompson descended to his sisters, but
being very heavily mortgaged it had to be sold in
the . Incumbered Estates Court. His turret has
tumbled down. The co-operative buildings have
been razed to the ground, but the eccentricities of
the philosopher, his extraordinary will, and strange
career will long furnish subjects for story-telling and
gossip in Grlandore and its neighbourhood.
The country along the sea-coast, between Glandore
and Ross, was originally called Fidh Ruis, meaning
the rough, wooded country. Though it retains the
former character at the present time, its title to
being wooded no longer exists, in fact it is rather
bare of trees. Like many other parts of Carbery, it
is probable that nearly all the primeval woods which
once existed there have been from time to time
either burnt down, or levelled by the axe. The
surface of the land is rugged and broken up into
rocky peaks. The coast line is indented by small
coves, which are situated between bare, bold-looking
cliifs, and from these narrow ravines run inland be-
tween the hill-sides andform the beds of small streams,
which pursue their course to the sea. The scenery is
said to resemble (on a miniature scale of course) Nor-
wegian scenery.
Inglis, in his travels through Ireland in 1834,
speaking of the country to the west of Ross, in-
cluding, I dare say, Grlandore and Castletownsend,
says : —
" After leaving this town, i. e. Ross, the country
became extremely picturesque. We passed alono-
and round the heads of deep wooded inlets of the
sea, reminding me in' some degree of Norwegian
204 Sketches in Carbery.
scenery on a small scale, and soon after reached
Skibbereen, a small ugly town, but a busy and
thriving one, enjoying an excellent retail trade,
owing to the demand of an extensive surrounding 1
district." 6
The land which lay between Grlandore and Koss
originally belonged to a chieftain called Lochlainn,
who was ancestor of the second most important sept
of the O'Donovans. This territory consisted of
thirty-six ploughlands, at present comprised in the
parish of Kilfaughnabeg, and accordingly could not
have been very extensive. It was this sept which
obtained possession of Cloghatrabally, or Grlandore
Castle, as previously mentioned. In the time of
James I. Donell Oge Na Caston O'Donovan, the
chieftain of that period, surrendered his possessions
to the king and obtained a re-grant of the same.
From this grant it_ appears that the head of the Clan-
loughlin had at this time a territory, nearly as exten-
sive as that of the head of the O'Donovans, of whom
the former was independent, many of their lands
being situated in Kilmacabea, Myross, &c. Jeremy
Donovan, chieftain of Clanloughlin, was M. P. for
Baltimore in 1689.
The south-western point of this district, which
bounds Grlandore Harbour on the east, is called
Eeenogrena (O'Grreny's Point). Here we observe a
very steep cliff, one of the highest along the coast,
called File na Shouk (the hawk's cliff), which, gene-
rally in the breeding season, is selected as a retreat
by falcons and hawks. On the summit of this cliff
we observe the ruins of an old signal tower, a relio
of the troubled times when piracy and smuggling
prevailed along the coast. The authorities in former
times had a very decisive and summary manner of
Sketches in Carbenj. 205
dealing with offenders of the buccaneering class, as
we learn from Smith : —
"In the reign of Charles II., A. D. 1675, April
20th, Peter Fox, and five more pretending to be pas-
sengers in a rich ship belonging to Holland, called
the St. Peter, of Hamburgh, bound to France, mur-
dered the master and three of his crew, and brought
the ship into the west of this county, but by the vigi-
lance of Eobert Southwell, Yice-Admiral ofMunster,
five of the malefactors were taken, and executed —
viz., Edward Fox (brother to the above Peter, who
ran away), John Fitzgerald, John Hood, John Crouch,
and John Morris. Their heads were set up along the
sea-coast— viz., atWaterford, Youghal, Cork, Kinsale,
and Grlandore."
A short distance to the east of Grlandore we come
to the strand of Traighlong, which also gives name
to a small cove, sometimes called Cow-cove. This
strand is formed in a peculiar manner A small
lake called Lough an Bhricin (the lake of the little
trout) is situated in the bed of a narrow ravine,
about half a mile to the north of Traighlong. From
the lake a stream runs down to the strand and
spreads out into a marsh, over which the sea flows
at full tide.
Beneath the white shingle on the beach a bog has
been formed, which stretches out some distance into
the sea, colouring the water almost black as the tide
comes in. Turf can be cut from this bog below high
water mark. The strand is passable to cars at low
tide, but the journey across is -sometimes dangerous,
as the passage is apt to shift its position like a quick-
sand. There are other strands more extensive in
size along the Irish coast, which are formed in the
same manner as Traighlong, as, for instance, the large
206 Sketches in Curler y.
strand at Toughal, which is simply a turf-boo- covered
over with sand and pebbles.
The next small inlet we observe before coming to
Boss is Mill Cove, into which the Boury stream falls.
This stream is said to derive its name from O'Buaidhre'
a follower of a chieftain named O'Leary, who lived
formerly in this place, but after the English invasion
removed to Iveleary, near Macroom.
Between Mill Cove and Dooneen Point, on the
land of Galatrahig, may be seen a large chasm in
the soil called Pouladav (the Hole of the Ox) P
from the fact of cattle having occasionally fallen
down into this chasm, whilst browsing near the edge
of the precipice, which is well worthy of notice, as
it is one of the most interesting and peculiar objeots
along the coast. It would seem that this hole had.
been formed by some sudden convulsion, as it appears
improbable that the undermining force of the sea
alone could effect such a strange and extensive look-
ing excavation. This is a mere matter of conjecture
however.
Pouladav communicates with the sea by three
separate openings, the south is the short and direot
one. Its^ entrance from the sea is guarded on either
side by high precipitous cliffs, which stand guarding
the passage to the dark retreat within, like the huge
portals of a gateway. The sea rushing in between
these cliffs passes through a narrow crevice, which
has been worn in the §olid rock, and opens into the .
chasm within, forming a small deep pool. This ..
entrance is bridged over at the top by the overlying
rock and soil, which project across, forming the
superstructure of the arch. Between the edge of
Pouladav and the top of the cliff, near the sea, the .
distance s is about 250 yards. A boat can be rowed _
Sketches in Carbery. 207
through the south passage in fine weather. The western
opening into Pouladav forms a subterranean passage,
which joins the sea at Mill Cove, after pursuing a
course of a quarter of a mile. The east entrance is
said to run underground for nearly a mile, and open
into the sea near Downeen Point. Pouladav itself
is a huge chasm, open at the top. Its east and west
sides are formed by abruptly precipitous cliffs, l 220
feet high, the continuity of whose surface is unbroken
from top to bottom by a single ledge of rock. At
the north side a steep and winding pathway leads to
the bottom, where a person can stand, on a small
strand covered with large flat stones, and observe
the sea -rushing in through the south entrance.
The descent and ascent along this path are not
easily accomplished, especially in rainy weather.
At the top Pouladav measures about 60 to 80 yards
across, and it is about 160 yards long. There is
another Black Hole on the land of Traghlong, called
West Pouladav, whose proportions are on a some-
what smaller scale than those of the one we have
been describing.
At the head of the valley through which the
Eowry river runs, and about half-a-mile from Mil-
cove, stand the ruins of Ballyverine House, or Cop-
pin ger's Court as it is more familiarly called, which
according to Smith, during the 18th century was the
largest house in Carbery, and which, according to
popular tradition, had a chimney for every month
a door for every week, and a window for every day
in the year.
Whether we are to give credence to the latter
statement or not must be a matter for consideration,
but still there is strong evidence from observing the
ruins as they exist at present that the house must
• ■
208 Sketches in Carbery.
have been originally one of large proportions, and
that the proprietor must have been a man of con-
siderable wealth and influence.
Coppinger's Court was built in the early part of the
17th century ; its architecture, as we can discover at a
glance, was of the Elizabethan style. "We still perceive
the pointed gables, numerous prominent octagonal
chimney shafts, and the various windows, which for-
merly it is to be presumed were richly mullioned. ; The
walls which enclose the courtyard still remain — the
yard itself has been converted into a corn-field.
Within the building all the floors have disappeared ;
the outer walls of the edifice alone remain — the ruin,
however, showing through the trees as we descend
Rowry Hill, has a quaint and romantic appearance,
which awakens immediately our interest in historio
and legendary lore.
Sir Walter Coppinger, who erected this building,
was a man, if we are to believe tradition, of rather
obscure origin, and during his early years is said to
have acted in the capacity of valet to Sir Fineen
(Florence) O'Driscoll, the chieftain of Baltimore
and Cape Clear. It will be necessary here to deviate
a little from the direct line of narrative, in order to
explain how Coppinger, from being a comparatively
poor and humble man, became a rich and powerful
individual.
Towards the end o,f Queen Elizabeth's reign,
A. D. 1601, as was previously mentioned, the
Spaniards landed in Xinsale, upon which all the
western chieftains joined them, amongst others Sir
Fineen O'Driscoll. After the overthrow of the
Spaniards Sir Fineen's territories were forfeited to
the Crown, but before this event took place, being a . ^
clever diplomatist, he contrived to recover the good
Sketches in Carbevy. 209
graces of the Queen (as already related) by enter-
taining the English fleet at Baltimore.
"When the Queen, being informed of it," says
Smith, "pardoned his joining the Spaniards, and
sent for him to Court, but before he arrived the
Queen died, and during his absence the greater part
of his possessions were intruded into by Sir Walter
Coppinger, which caused this ancient family (the
O'Driscolls) to fall to decay."
Sir Fineen is said to have died in England just
as he was about to start for home. His death is
however shrouded in mystery.
To recapitulate somewhat, in order to explain
matters thoroughly.
_ After O'Driscoll' s death Coppinger prosecuted his
title to the estate, and by clever management and
the production of legal documents of a very ques-
tionable value, however, he contrived, by reference
to get an order out of Chancery against the heirs of
Sir Fineen O'Driscoll. O'Driscoll, some years before
his death, had granted a lease of Baltimore for
twenty-one years to Sir Thomas Crook, who planted
an English colony there, and procured a charter of
incorporation from King James I. Coppinger was
not allowed to remain quietly in possession.
The sovereign of Baltimore applied to the govern-
ment for relief. The Locds Justices issued a com-
mission, and Coppinger, in spite of his diplomatic
skill and legal documents, had to deliver up posses-
sion, and was subsequently confined in Dublin Castle
for contempt of orders. It is to be presumed, how-
ever, that during his short tenure, he managed to
amass a considerable fortune, Coppinger had luck
nevertheless, in leaving at that particular crisis as
in a few years afterwards (1631) Baltimore was
15
2L0 Sketches in Cafbery
sacked by the Algeria es and all
taken into captivity.
"We will now follow Sir Walter to his handsome
residence at Ballyverine, where he spent the re-'
mainder of his days. He intended building a
market town in the vicinity of the court, and another
intention of his was to convert the Rowry stream
into a canal, which would be navigable for vessels
from Millcove to the town, which by that means
would become a place of some mercantile impor-
tance. . -
All his plans were upset by the wars of 1641,
when the house was attacked by an armed force,
ransacked, and partially burnt down. After this
event we lose sight of Coppinger, so far as being
unable to learn from recorded history any further
particulars connected with his life.
From tradition the following information referring
to his acts has been handed down to us. During
his residence at Rowry he was chiefly distinguished
by his tyrannical qualities. No Russian nobleman
of former times lorded it over his serfs with such
despotic sway as Coppinger over the surrounding .•
peasantry.
At the time when the events we are now describ-
ing were being enacted, the spirit of feudalism, which
was on the decline in England, flourished as strongly
in Ireland as it did in England and France during
the 12th and 13th centuries. All authority, and
the enjoyment of the luxuries and goods of life were
centred in a favoured few whom hereditary title, the
right of conquest, or fortuitous circumstances,
Coppinger's case, had raised to an exalted position.
In England at this period the bulk of the people
were emerging slowly but steadily, from the ignoble
Sketches in Carbery. 211
vassalage and degeneracy which, feudalism had
stamped on them during the Dark Ages. In Ire-
land, however, where surrounding circumstances
were of a different character, the people either
groaned in silence beneath the heavy chains which
held them " in durance vile," or rushed at times,
wildly and ineffectually, into conflicts with superior
force and skill.
Stories are related of Coppinger which seem in-
credible at the present day, and which, no doubt,
are somewhat exaggerated. He is said to have
possessed in the district, which he ruled as a local
despot, the power of life and death over the
people. It is related how he had a yard-arm ex-
tended from one of the gable-ends of his mansion,
which served the purpose of a gallows, wherewith to
hang the victims of his unlicensed power. Stories
are also told of a dark dungeon beneath the basement
story of the court, where prisoners pined for years in
wretchedness and chains.
The way in which he closed his career is said to
have been the following : — On one occasion Cop-
pinger, in a rage, made a vow that he would
execute some obnoxious individual as soon as he
returned from prayers. The day happened to be
Sunday. He did not wish to carry out the sentence
without first attending to his devotions, so religious
a character was he. Keport goes on to say that
Coppinger, when leaving the church, suddenly
dropped dead in a fit, brought on by violence of
passion, and the people believed at the time that it
was a visitation of Providence which cut him off in
the midst of his designs.
After his death the estate passed in fragments
into the hands of several new owners. The Tvil-
15*
212
Sketches in Carbery.
fiiiane and Bowry portion was purchased by Mr.
Thomas Becher, of Sherkin, in- 1698, and now'
belongs, in fee, to Sir Henry Becher ; another por-
tion was held by a Mr. James Somerville, in right
of his wife.
An air of romantic interest has been attached to
Coppinger's Court, by means of a story published
some years ago in the Eagle, and written by a gentle-
man of considerable literary and scientific acquire-
ments, living in the neighbourhood of Skibbereen.
Having completed our notice of Coppinger's Court,
and the records and traditions connected with it, the
next place in the neighbourhood of Eoss which is
entitled to description, owing to its antiquity and',
the interesting facts relating thereto, is the ancient
Castle of Benduff (black peak or gable), or, as
it is now called Castle Salem, situated about a
mile to the north-west of Boss, in the bosom of a
secluded valley, shut in by hills, and at one time
encompassed by a dense and wide plantation of trees.
Benduff differed, to a certain extent, from the gene-
rality of the feudal strongholds of former times,
■which, as a rule, were either perched upon some
rocky eminence, or surmounted the summit of some
rising ground. The sheltered and isolated nature
of its situation very probably protected it, in a great
measure, from external danger.
This castle, according «to Smith, was built by the
'Donovans,, whilst other authorities assert that it
was erected by Catherine, daughter of Thomas, 8th
Earl of Desmond. This would give us for the date
of its building about the year 1470, or thereabouts.
Thomas, 8th Earl of Desmond, one of the most
powerful of his race, and who was viceroy of Ireland
in the time of Edward IY., was executed at Drogheda i
Sketches in Carhcry. 213
in 1466, having fallen a victim to the malice of
Lady Jane Grey, Edward's Queen, for some disre-
spectful speech he made about her to the king. His
daughter, Catherine, who is said to have founded
Benduff, is most probably the personage who has
come down to us under the sobriquet of " the black
lady," and about whom various legends are told in
connection with Benduff.
The castle was originally a strong romantic struc-
ture, built in the style of the Norman fortresses,
which studded the surface of the country during the
middle ages, and which were distinguished by the
square central keep or tower, with thick massive
walls, loopholed for the use of arms, and to admit
light, to which were generally attached side build-
ings, furnished with bastions, strong outer walls
enclosing the entire, which were sometimes furnished
with covered ways.
Benduff Castle had three arches ; the walls were
eleven feet thick, with passages and recesses, and the
usual stone stairway ; it was originally about seventy
feet high. One of its former proprietors, old William
Morris, took off the top and. put on a slated roof.
The modern house was built with its rere against
the olden one. You step from the first landing of
the stairs into the castle by the ancient doorway
about twelve feet from the ground.
The grounds at the base of the castle at one time
were laid out in the old Dutch style with ponds, and
little islands full of shrubs, and yew trees, and so
sheltered and warm is the situation that fig trees
grow there and flourish in the open air. Until
about fifty years ago the castle was surrounded by
a very handsome oak plantation, which at one time
occupied an area of three hundred acres. Almost
214 Sketches in Carbery.
the entire of this wood was cut down and sold by
tne last Moms, who lived at Benduff. '"
Formerly also an extensive deer park existed here,
lhe old ivy-clad walls which enclosed it are still
standing m ftrt; we perceive them about half' a
mile to the west of the slate quarry. The park ex-
tended eastward towards Deny, embracing the pre^
sent mam road leading to Ross, which intersects
what was once called the park. On the south side
of the main road a portion of the wall bounds on
one side the old coach road, the principal means of
traffic and conveyance from Skibbereen to Cork
about seventy years ago, and which, to judge from
appearances, must' have been a very rocky and dis-
agreeable road to travel.
Benduff during the latter half of the seventeenth
century, belonged to the Morris family, the first of
that name who became owner being Major Apollo
Morris, an officer in Cromwell's army. He obtained
a grant of this estate from Cromwell, and, on the
restoration of Charles II. the grant was confirmed
through the interest of a relative of the major's who
was private secretary to the king. The successor to
Major Morris was William Morris, who was an inti-
mate friend and correspondent of the celebrated
William Penn, both before and after the latter went
to colonize Pennsylvania. All the family papers,
deeds ^c, among which was the grant from Charles
11., ol the estate, were preserved in the castle until
ab.out twenty-five years ago. The late William
Morris placed them in the hands of a bookseller in
Cork, named O'Dell, with the intention of publica-
tion, lie bookseller failed, and all the papers'
were either lost or mislaid.
There was a small half-length portrait (in oil) of
Sketches m Carbery.
215
Cromwell, by one of the old painters, which repre-
sented him clad in armour, his head bare, and locks
flowing, with a stern and sombre aspect.
As we enter the gateway of the avenue, on our
right hand, may be sfcten an ancient Quaker burial-
place, which old William Morris, Penn's friend,
established here. The place is small, and full of
the simple graves which the Quakers used, with
plain head and foot stones facing north and
south, no monuments or tombs being allowed
by this sect. So well known was the graveyard
that the remains of deceased Quakers were brought
from the city of Cork and various parts of the country
to be interred there. Around the graveyard was a
remarkable grove of laurel trees, which grew to such
a height that the crows established a rookery in them.
A very large and handsome yew tree also grew near
the spot. Old William married a daughter of
Colonel Bryan Townsend, and thus became con-
nected with the Townsend and Hungerford families.
Upon his death a tomb of very plain and rude
construction, was erected to him at Benduff, and
so shocked were the Quakers with this breach of
their religious observances that they ceased from
that time out to make any further interments in the
place. The old tomb is still to he seen in the centre
of the burial-place. The last proprietor of Benduff,
or Castle Salem, was the late much-respected Dr.
Fitzgibbon.
216 Sketches in Carbery.
\
CHAPTER XII.
* Eosscarbery, of ancient origin-Great seat of sanctity and learning
m former times— Professor Spalding on the Ar.fO ???¥
Histories-Eoss Ailithir (wood of the Xri™^? °i ^
in the neighbourhood^. JW^iattSt'^Bt to^Z
an ancient abbey here-Dr. Lynch^EUahTon dSyaJon o
Eoss— Former extent of diocese— Leo-end aW <;7 v <v.
Toumpleen na Fachna-Hanmer andcifo'^^fXr
dan-Eetrospective ww of the distinguished bisW, of » EL
venerable See-Eoss Cathedral, general account-Curious <Le of
trance, or suspended animation-Modern pilgrimage torteTmb
elusion. EeV " J ° hn ^^ P - P --^^e^, ^1S.
During the early part of the Dark Ages, when the
fierce tide of pagan barbarism and ignorance swept
like a deluge throughout continental Europe, over-
whelming m its progress the landmarks of civiliza-
tion, erected in previous eras by Egypt, Greece, and
.home, Ireland was the ark where the Christian
Faith, and the literary and scientific knowledge,
which were to shed a light over modern times, and
regenerate mankind, found a safe retreat and hospi-
table abode to reside and flourish in. At the period
we allude to many seats of learning, and numerous
religious edifices were established in this country, and
Ireland became so famed throughout Europe by the
wisdom of her professors and the piety of the inhabi-
tants, that such titles were conferred upon her as
"The Island of Saints" and "The Island of Scholars,"
and numbers of students flocked there from various
parte of Europe, in order to drink deep from the.
Sketches in Carbery. 217
springs of knowledge, and become perfected in their
studies.
Camde^, a writer of some authority, observes
that "the Saxons flocked -to Ireland as to a great
mart of learning, which is the reason, says he,
we so often find this in our authors : " Such a one
sent his son over to Ireland to be educated." The
Venerable Bede confirms this statement in his " Ec-
clesiastical History," and Camden himself relates
this passage in the life of Sulgenius, who lived six
hundred years before his time : —
" Exemplo'patruui commotus amore legendi,
Juvit ad Hibernos sopjiia mirabile clarcs."
"With love of learning and examples fir'd,
To Ireland, f'am'd for wisdom, he retired."
Many other distinguished authorities could be
cited to prove that the inhabitants of Ireland, during
the early portion of the Christian era, and even
previous to that time, were considerably advanced
in learning, and, consequently, in civilization. So
famous was Ireland for learning in ancient times, it
may not be amiss, says Smith, to mention that it
was an Irish professor who first opened the public
schools in Oxford ; and the first acknowledged British
author of distinction, whose name is mentioned in
English literature, was St. Columbanus, a native of
Ireland, a man of vigorous ability, who contributed
greatly to the advancement of Christianity in various
parts of Europe, and died A. D. 615,
Professor Spalding of the Aberdeen University,
in his standard work, " History of English Litera-
ture," remarks (page 31): "It does not appear
rash to say that the Irish possess contemporary his-
tories of their country, -written in the language of
218 Sketches in Carlery.
the people, and authentic though meagre, from the
fifth century or a little later. No other nation of
modern Europe is ahle to make a similar boast."
The town of Eosscarbery, though to the ordinary
observer it may seem a place comparatively unim-
portant, was, nevertheless, one of the most ancient and
celebrated places in Ireland, and as far back as the
6th century, was renowned at home and abroad as a
great seat of learning and sanctity. Hither flocked
students, both lay and clerical, from all parts of Ire-
land, to complete their studies under the most eminent \
professors.
Dr. Joyce, alluding to it, says: — " Eosscarbery, in
Cork, was formerly a place of great ecclesiastical
eminence, and it was ' so famous for the crowds of
students and monks, flocking to it, that it was dis-
tinguished by the name of " Eos-ailithir " (Allihir),
the wood of the pilgrims.'" - " "%
The present town, which has improved of late, is
picturesquely situated near the sea. The scenery
in the vicinity is beautiful in the highest degree,
and every verdant spot — rocky eminence, or crumb-
ling ruin is hallowed by the memory of some
historical event, legendary story, or fragment of an-
tiquarian lore, which can awaken curiosity, and set
us thinking over the reminiscences of days gone
Eosscarbery, or Allithir, its ancient name — .
(it was called Eosscarbery to distinguish it from
Eoss in "Wexford) — wa,s founded by St. Fachtnan
about the year 590, according to Colgan. Other
authorities say that, in the early part of the sixth
century, he came from the Abbey of Molana, near
Youghal, and founded an abbey here for regular
canons. The ruins of a chapel erected at some dis-
Sketches in Carbery. 219
tant period near the site of the old ahbey, within
the ancient cemetery of Boss, are still to be seen : it
must have been of very small dimensions. The north
and south walls still remain, built of rough, unhewn
stones, and bear strong evidence of antiquity. No
relic of the abbey established by St. Fachtnan can
be observed ; for though the renown of the saint is
still as fresh as ever, the monastery he established
has long ago crumbled into dust.
This monastery formed a nucleus, around which
sprung up a walled town in the same manner (though
on a minor scale) as Cork originated around the
monastery of St. Finbar.
St. Fachnan, the founder (Fachtna), was also called
" Fachtna facundus,'^ or " the eloquent," and
Mac Mongach, because he was born having his head
covered with hair, He was a disciple of St. Finbar's,
who founded Cork, and was also abbot of a monastery
at Molana, near Toughal, before he settled down at
Rosscarbery.
Dr. Lynch, born according to Hardiman in the
beginning of the 17th century, in his "MS. History
of the Irish Sees" (see New Edition of " Monasticon
Hibcrnicion" in the Irish Ecclesiastical Record), tells
us that " Ross in Irish has three distinct meanings,
being used to designate a meadowy plain, a grove,
and more frequently a promontory." This last
meaning would well correspond with the territory
of which we speak, which jutting out into the sea
presents quite the appearance of a promontory, whilst
the smiling fields, which adorn the surrounding
country, would justify the application of the name
in its first meaning.
The diocese of Eoss, founded by St. Fachnan in
the sixth century, was originally coextensive with the
220 Sketches in Carbery .
territory of Corca Laidhe, but in Lynch's t_
was only eighteen miles in length, and four or five
in breadth, and contained 24 parishes, besides three
detached parishes in the neighbourhood of Bear-
haven. The festival in commemoration of the patron
saint of Eoss was formerly kept on the 14th of
August.
The following legend is related of the saint:—
" He was in the habit of praying daily on the side
of a hill, about half-a-mile east of Ross. One evening
he forgot his prayer-book, and the next morning,
strange to say (the night had been rainy), a small
chapel had sprung into existence immediately over
the spot where the saint had prayed the day before.
However that may be, the ruins of this little oratory,
Toumpleen-a-Fachtna, are still extant. Its" pro-
portions are on a limited scale, being only twelve
feet long by eight feet broad. O'Donovan says
that it is the only building of St. Fachtna's time
now remaining. He differs in opinion also -from
Harris and others, who assert that the old cathedral
was erected by St. Fachtnan, and not by Mac Craith,
in the tenth century, as O'Donovan states, quoting
from the "BookofBallymote." Toumpleen-a-Fachtna
was rebuilt about the year 1664 by a devotee who,
in a fit of sickness, had made a vow to the saint that if
he recovered he would build a chapel in his honour.
There is a rough corner-stone in one of the walls com-
memorating this event as follows — "Ad gloriamDci,
et hominum sahationem, , \ Sfc. — not easily deciphered. •
In former times, on the 16th August, the patron day
of the saint, great numbers of pilgrims frequented
this spot, and removed a small portion of earth from
the immediate neighbourhood of the oratory, which, .
as a sort of amulet, was supposed by some to possess "
Sketches in Carbcry. 221
the virtue, when stitched in the clothes, of saving a
shipwrecked person.
The "Book of Dues," as mentioned already, belong-
ing to the church of Boss-Allithri, was presented to
St. Fachtnan by Conall, chieftain of Corca Laidhe,
at Ardnabportan (Crab-Fish Hill), on Inisbeg, an
island in the river Hen, near Skibbereen. We find
the following notice in the "Annals of Innisfallen : "
" A. D. 600. Died Fachtnan, first Bishop of Boss-
Allithir, in Corca Laidbe." According to Hanmer,
"Ross was formerly walled round, but by the wars of
the Irish septs the walls were broken down, and, at
the present day, the foundations of this ancient place
cannot even be traced." The same writer says — "A
famous university also flourished here, where resorted
all the south-west of Ireland for learning sake."
St. Brendan, patron saint of Kerry, is also said to
have visited Boss, and taught "lessons of wisdom"
there. Camden, who lived in the reign of Elizabeth,
states that the harbour, previous to his time, was
navigable for ships, but in his own day it had become
choked up with sand, and in this condition it has
remained down to the present date. After St.
Fachtnan's death, St. Finchad, a disciple of St.
Finbar, of Cork, succeeded. No account of any of
his successors down to the year 1170 is given, except
of Dougal Mac Folact, the 27th bishop. According
to O'Flaherty, and he gives as his authority a distich
out of the " Book of Lecan" : —
" Dougalus a Fachtna ter nonus Episcopus extat,
Lugadia de gente dedit cui Eossa mitram."
" Hail ! happy Ross ! thou couldst produce thrice nine,
All mitred sages of Lugadia's line,
From Fachtnan, crowned with everlasting praise,
Down to the date of Dougall's pious days."
222 Sketches in Carhery.
In the reign of King John, the cantred ofEoss-
Allithri, with its appurtenances, excluding the de-
mesnes of the bishop, was granted by the king to
Adam DeEupe (or Eoehe), by his supplying the
service of six knights. Along line of bishops is'
mentioned by Smith, from Benedict, in 1172, to
Thomas O'Herlihy, who sat from 1563 to 1570. The
latter was present at the Council of Trent (one out-of
the three Irish bishops who attended that great Coun-'
cil), and died in 1579, and is buried in Kilcrea Abbey:
Dr. O'Herlihy was a native of the parish of Kil-
macabea, near Leap.
In the previous century a very distinguished-
prelate was Bishop of Eoss, viz., Dr. Edmund
Courcy, who was translated from Clogher to the See
of Eoss in 1491. He was originally a Franciscan
monk in Timoleague Abbey, which, as already re-
ferred to, he enriched and re-edified. His mortuary
chapel is still in existence, though in ruins, within
the ancient walls of Timoleague Abbey. He was
succeeded by O'Murrily, abbot of the Monastery at
Carigilihy, in Myross {Be Fonte Vivo).
In 1601 the renowned Owen M'Egan was ap-
pointed Yicar Apostolic of Eoss by Pope Clement
VIII. In the "Paoata Hibernia" (Carew)he is
mentioned as a priest of the diocese of Eoss, Bachelor
in Theology, Master of Arts, "and most commendable
for his learning, moral conduct, and manifold virtues."
After the battle of Kinsale, Captain Taaffe led some
troops into Carbery, in order to wage war on
the chieftains who had joined the Spaniards and
O'Neil. Whilst driving before him the captured
spoil (cattle and horses) he was attacked on the
banks of the river Bandon by the MacCarthys and
O'Sullivans, who, when on the point of giving way,
Sketches in Cat-bevy. 223
were rallied and led on by Bishop Mac Egan. The
issue of the battle was doubtful for a long time, and
was fiercely contested until the brave Yicar was slain,
after which occurrence the Irish forces were dis-
heartened and retreated. The Bishop's remains were
borne off the field of battle by 'Sullivan : he was
buried at Timoleague Abbey, and a small cross in-
dented in the wall near the north-western angle of
the cloister commemorates the exact spot where rest
the remains of the illustrious Mac Egan.
The first Protestant Bishop of Ross was "William
Lyons, who was appointed to this see in 1582, and
died 1617: he annexed it to the diocese of Cork, both
of ■which since that period have formed conjointly a
combined diocese.
In the year 1650, when Cromwell was besieging
Clonmel the titular Roman Catholic Bishop of Ross
was named Boetius Mac Egan : he collected a force of
4,000 foot and 300 horse in order to raise the siege,
or assist the beleaguered garrison. Cromwell des-
patched Lord Broghill with a large force to attack
the bishop's army. Broghill marched in hot haste
to Kilcrea, and then to Carrigadrohid, which was
garrisoned by a detachment of the bishop's forces.
Leaving his infantry to keep watch over the castle
at Carrigadrohid, he marched with the cavalry to
Macroom.
At Broghill's approach the Irish troops set fire to
Macroom Castle, and joined their main army, which
was encamped in the park. Broghill making a
sudden attack, defeated the forces opposed to him,
and captured Bishop Mac Egan, whom he promised
to pardon, if he advised the garrison at Carrigadrohid
to surrender. The bishop, however, with the courage
of an ancient Roman, and a contempt for death
221 Sketches in Garbery.
>••:.
worthy of a Begulus, advised them to hold out to
the last, fearing lest Broghill might put them to the
sword- The reward of his unflinching courage was
instant execution. _ Broghill subsequently captured
the castle by a stratagem, viz., by drawing large
pieces of timber towards the walls by means of a
team of oxen. The garrison supposed them to be
cannon, and after a parley surrendered. The date
of the battle was 10th May, 1650, according to
Smith.
In the Consistorial Acts, A. D. 1517, some inte-
resting information is given regarding the ancient
cathedral of Eoss, said to have been first erected by St. -
Fachnan, and which, in the beginning of the 16th cen-
tury, was, according to the " Monast. Hibernic." ^
" one of the most remarkable structures of the king-
dom." At the date referred to, John O'Murrily
(formerly abbot of the Abbey de Fonte Vivo,) was
bishop of Eoss, having succeeded Dr. De Couroy,
who resigned, owing to the infirmities of age. .
The minute of the Consistorial Inquiry states
" how the city of Eoss was situated in the Ecclesias-
tical Province of Cashel, in the midst of a vast plain,
which stretched along the sea-shore." It contained
200 houses, and was walled round ; the land was
fertile, and yielded abundant crops. The cathedral
church, dedicated under the invocation of St. Fach-
nan, was in the centre of the city. The walls of the
church were of cut stone ; there were two entrances,
one at the side, the other in front, and a descent by
three steps to the level of the church floor, which was
unpaved. The roof was of wood, and covered with
slates. It was cruciform in shape, and equalled in
size the church of S. Maria del Popolo in Eome.
The central nave was separated by stone pillars from
Sketches in Curler//. 225
the aisles. All the vestments and sacred ornaments
belonging to the cathedral were of an elaborate and
costly description. In the cemetery outside there
was a bell-tower furnished with one large bell.
The Church dignitaries consisted of a dean, arch-
deacon, chancellor. There were also twelve canons,
and four vicars. The canons resided in different
parts of the diocese, which was about twenty miles
in length. The bishop's residence was about half a
mile from the city, and pleasantly situated on the sea
shore.
According to local tradition the site of the epis-
copal palace was Cregane, near Eoss, at present the
property of W. Starkie, Esq., E. M.
The episcopal revenue was derived from corn,
tithes, and pasturage, and amounted annually to
sixty marks, which would only make it £40 per
annum. We must consider, however, that three
centuries and a half ago the intrinsic value of money
was perhaps nearly twenty times greater than it is
at present, so that it might be correct to say the
income in 1517 was equivalent to at least £800 at
the present day.
In the reign of Elizabeth, when Lyons was ap-
pointed (first Protestant bishop), all the plate, bells,
&c-, which were of solid silver, and belonged to the
cathedral and monastery, were secreted, and have
remained concealed and undiscovered up to the pre-
sent day : they were valued at £7,000. Tradition
says that they were buried deep somewhere in the
strand. If not washed away by the tide, some for-
tunate explorer (who was born with a silver spoon
in his mouth) might yet discover the hidden
treasure.
The present Protestant church in Eoss is built on
16
LI
226 Sketches in Car bevy.
the foundations of the old cathedral ; it dates from
1612. Within the walls, and fixed in the arch
beneath the tower, is a square stone, with a rudely
carved head of St. Eachnan standing out in relief
said to he coeval with the ancient and original build-
ing. The well proportioned and graceful-looking
spire of cut limestone, which surmounts the tower-,
contrasts agreeably with the surrounding green
foliage, and has a picturesque and pleasing effect,
when viewed from the distance.
There are some tablets erected in the nave of the
Boss Protestant church, of chaste and finished
workmanship, which deserve a passing notice,' as
they give evidence of antiquity, and supply us with
some historical information. On the north wall,
facing the entrance, is one " In memory of Captain
Thomas Hungerford, who died March 2nd, 1680,
and was interred in the cathedral. The third in
descent from Lord Walter De Hungerford, of the
county of Worcester, who took the Duke of Orleans
prisoner at the battle of Agincourt, and was Lord
High Chamberlain in the court of Edward III."
Immediately over the door, as we enter, is another
tablet with the following inscription — " Here lyeth
interred the body of Sir William Moore, Bart., of
Rosscarbery, who departed this life the 28th day of
August, in the year of our Lord, 1693, and in the
one and thirtieth year of his age. He was killed
accidentally by a heavy stone, which fell from aloft
whilst the tower was being built." There is also a
monument to an English gentleman named Arthur
Steele, who was a high official in the old East Indian
Service. He was staying on a visit in Ross, and
was drowned accidentally in the year 1831, whilst
bathing in the harbour. Handsome tablets erected
Sketches in Carhcry. 227
to the Townsend and Starkie families are also to be
observed. N
Besides Teampleen-Fachna, tbe parish of Kil-
faughnabeg (the little church of Fachna), situated
between Ross and Glandore, and formerlj called
"Fidh Buis," also retains at the present day the
name of the patron saint.
In the year 1131 a hostile force from Connaught
under the command of Donogh Mac Carthy made
an attack on Boss, and plundered it: they were
shortly afterwards defeated.
At the time of the English invasion all the lands
connected with Ross, exclusive of what belonged to
the bishop (Benedict was bishop in 1172), were granted
to Fitz Stephen.
At one time the ancient abbey belonged to the
monks of the Benedictine Order, and was subject to
the celebrated Benedictine Abbey of St. James, with-
out the walls of the city of Wurtzburgh, in the pro-
vince of Mentz, Germany.
As far back as the beginning of the 13th century,
in the reign of King John of England, a charter of
incorporation with privileges was granted to Eoss,
but no municipal records of that period are now ex-
tant regarding this place.
In the time of Henry VIII., Eosscarbery belonged
to Mac Carthy Eeagh. A. D. 1600 a detachment
from the garrison at Kinsale commanded by Sir
Eicbard Percy, marched into Carbery with the in-
tention of attacking Eoss, but finding the place too
strongly fortified, they made a detour to Leap, and
a sudden raid on Kilcoe (Aughadown), one of the
M'Carthy castles, a few miles to the west of Skibbe-
reen ; they seized on 300 head of cattle, and desolated
the country as much as they could.
16*
228 Sketches in Carhery.
In 1642 MacCartliy of Benduff captured the town
of Eoss and laid siege to Bathbarry Castle (the
ancient seat of the Barrys in Carhery), now Castle
Freke, which was bravely defended for some months
by Arthur Freke, the proprietor ; he was on the,
point of surrendering, when he was relieved by Sir
Charles Vavasour and Captain Jephson, who escorted
Freke and his garrison safely to Bandon, having first
set fire to the castle and its offices.
Smith tells us that " On the 12th May, 1652, the
garrison of Bosscarbery surrendered to the Parlia-
ment's forces, after which everything remained quiet
in the country for some time" (and not for a very
long time either). It is a curious coincidence that
nearly about the same time Boss Castle, Killarney,
was surrendered to General Ludlow, one of Crom-
well's generals, by Lord Musketry ; both of whjgh
events were the closing scenes in the _ sanguinary
and prolonged strife of the Cromwellian wars in
Ireland. ...
The forfeited lands of Bathbarry and the vicinity,
formerly the property of the Barrys and O'Heas,
were granted to William Penn, Philip Perceval, and
the Duke of York, and the town of Bosscarbery to
Captain Bobert Gookin.
In " Carbrice Notitia" the writer states that the
O'Heas possessed a tract of land in Barryroe, called
"Pobble O'Hea." Bathbarry he describes as a
large stately pile belonging to the Barrys Ahamilly
Castle (ford of the hornless cows), near Clonakilty,
belonged to the O'Heas, whilst the seven castles of
Dundeedy,Dunowen,Dunore, Doneen, Duno-Cowig,
Dunworley, and Dungorley, built on the bold head-
lands of Ibaune and Barryroe, belonged to the
O'Cowhigs (victorious), but now nearly extinct.
Sketches in Carbcry.
229
Ross was garrisoned in the time of James II. by
the Irish forces under General MacCarthy, and was
reconnoitred by a detachment of William III.'s
army ; the latter considered the place impregnable,
and bidding it a hasty adieu, marched off to
Tralee.
Large military barracks were formerly erected
at Ross in close proximity to the site of St. Fachnan's
Monastery. These barracks where so many warlike
garrisons had been stationed from time to time
during the stirring events of the last two centuries,
and which changed masters as often as the fortunes
of war veered from one side to the other, are now in
a semi-ruinous condition. Here lived formerly, after
the military had evacuated the place, a branch of
the O'Donovan (the Island branch), to whom the
town of Rosscarbery belonged, under a lease, from
the end of the 18th century up to within the last ten
years ; and here also was born in December, 1807,
Dr. Donovan, senior, of Skibbereen.
Ross, like many other ancient towns in Ireland,
gradually diminished in size, and declined in pros-
perity, not keeping pace with the times, owing to
the constantly disturbed state of the country, which
interfered with the proper development of industrial
resources. About sixty-five years ago it was the
busy centre of a colony of linen weavers, and a
considerable trade flourished in that line. After
the decline of the linen manufactures, the prosperity
of the town was also on the wane. Latterly, how-
ever, there has been some advance in improve-
ment.
It is an often told and trite but true saying that
"Fact is stranger than fiction." The following
story, founded not only on tradition but also on
230 Sketches in Carbery.
written testimony, bears out the adage in its fullest
sense, and certainly it is of so startling a character'
as at first not only to excite doubt but also disbelief
in the minds of the most imaginative and credulous
persons.
There lived in Bandon during the years 1692-1738
a clergyman named Eichard Goodman, who was
vicar of Ballymodan, and whose father, the Rev.
Thomas Goodman, was Precentor of Bosscarbery.
The wife of the former was attacked by a low
fever, and fell into . a state of suspended anima-
tion, or " trance," as it is commonly called. She
was supposed at the time to be dead, and was ac-'
cordingly coffined and conveyed to Boss cathedral,
where she was interred in the family vault. Mr.
Goodman's butler, who observed a valuable diamond
ring on one of the fingers, had his avaricious pro-
pensities excited, and concealing himself in the
cathedral whilst the funeral service was going on,
he proceeded stealthily, when night approached, to
secure the coveted prize. Upon opening the coffin
the body presented a swollen appearance, and the
ring being tightly fastened on the finger, the butler
was compelled to use his penknife in order to get
possession of the ring. To his amazement and
horror, when the blood flowed from the first incision,
the supposed corpse, reanimated into life by the sud-
den violence and the current of fresh air, raised her-
self into a sitting posture, and immediately put to
flight the covetous midnight marauder, who must have
imagined his last earthly moments had arrived.
Mrs. Goodman became gradually resuscitated, and
when morning broke she was removed from the
vault, and was in a short time restored to her former
health by nourishment and care. She lived for
Sketches in Carboy.
231
several years after this strange occurrence, and even
had an addition to her family — a son named John
Goodman, of whom Smith gives the following notice
in " The History of Cork : "—
" Mr. John Goodman, of Cork, died in January,
1747, but what is remarkable of him, his mother
was interred, whilst she lay in a trance ; having been
buried in a vault, which she found means to open,
she walked home, and this Mr. Goodman was born
some time after."
A large oil painting of Mrs. Goodman is still in
existence. On the back -is a short manuscript
account of the strange story we have been de-
scribing.
As the question of Trance is an interesting study,
it may be well to furnish some information from
trustworthy sources on this unusual condition of
animal existence. In Carpenter's work on "Human
Physiology " are supplied some remarks on the sub-
ject which we copy in detail : —
" Another form of apparent deatb, the existence of which
appears to be well authenticated, is that sometimes desiguated
as Trance or Catalepsy, in which there is a reduction of all the
organic functions to an extremely low ebb, but in which con-
sciousness is still preserved, whilst the power of voluntary move-
ment is suspended ; so that the patient, although fully aware of
all that is being said and done around, is unable to make the
least visible or audible sound of life, &c. The surest test by
which real is certainly distinguishable from apparent death, is
by the condition of the muscular substance, for this gradually
loses its irritability after real death, so that it can no longer be
excited to contraction by electricity or any other kind of stimu-
lation, and the loss of irritability is succeeded by cadaveric
rigidity. So long, then, as the muscle retains its irritability,
and remains free from rigidity, so long we may say with cer-
tainty that it is not dead, and the persistence of its vitality for
an unusual period affords a presumption in favour of the con-
232 Sketches in Carboy.
tinuance of some degree of vital action- in the body generally ;
whilst, on tlie other hand, the entire loss of irritability, and the
supervention of rigidity afford conclusive evidence that death
has occurred, &c. The most satisfactory proof, however is
putrefaction. The supposed suspension of heart's action and
of respiration are fallacious.
"Collection of cases from Mr. Braid, obtained from British
officers in India, who have been eye witnesses (observations on
Trance or Human Hybernation, 1850).
" In one of these, vouched for by Sir Blande M. Wade (for-
merly political agent at the court of Rungeet Singh), the Fakeer
was buried in an underground cell, under strict guardianship
for six weeks; the body had been thrice dug up by Runo-eet
Singh during the period of interment, and had been found in
the same position as when first buried.
"In another case stated by Lieut. Boileau in his 'Narrative
of a Journey in Jagwarra in 1835,' the man had been buried
for ten days in a grave lined with masonry, and covered with
large slabs of stone, and strictly guarded, and he assured Lieut.
B. that he was ready to submit to an interment of twelve months'
duration if desired. In a third case narrated by Mr. Braid,W
trial was made under the direct superintendence of a British
officer, a period of nine days having been stipulated for on the
part of the devotee, but this was shortened to three, at the desire
of the officer, who feared lest he should incur blame if the result
was fatal. _ The appearance of the body when first disinterred is
described, in all instances, as having been quite corpse-like, and
no pulsation could be detected in the heart or in the arteries.
The means of restoration employed were chiefly warmth to the
vortex, and friction to the body or limbs. It may be remarked
that the possibility of the protraction of such a state (supposing
that no deception vitiates the authenticity of the narrative re-
ferred to) can be much better comprehended as occurring in
India, than having taken place in this country, since the warmth
of the tropical atmosphere would prevent any serious loss of
heat, such as must sooner occur in a colder climate, when the
processes whereby it is generated are brought to a stand."
Many other cases of Trance might be referred to
to prove that Mrs. Goodman's was neither impossible
or even exceptional in its nature. "VVe will merely
Sketches in Carbery. 233
select one more, which, strange to say, partakes
somewhat of a humorous character. The description
is taken from an ancient magazine : —
"In connection with the subject of unxpected reanimation,
the case of Sir Hugh Ackland, of Kellerton, Devonshire, may
be mentioned as most extraordinary. This gentleman was
seized with a violent fever, and having apparently expired had
been laid out as dead. The nurse and two footmen were
appointed to sit up through the night to watch the corpse.
Lady Ackland, to cheer them, had sent them a bottle of brandy,
whereupon one of the footmen, ' being an arch rogue,' said to
the other, ' master dearly loved brandy when he was alive, and
now, though he is dead, I am determined he shall have a glass
with us 1 ' Accordingly he poured out a bumper, and forced it
down Sir Hugh's throat. A gurgling noise immediately ensued,
accompanied with a violent motion of the neck and upper part
of the chest. A terrible consternation seized the watchers, who
rushed violently down stairs, ' the brandy genius' with such
speed that he fell, and rolled head-over-heels, bumping down
from step to step till he reached the bottom; while the nurse
screamed with terror. The noise having roused a young gentle-
man, who was sleeping in the house, he immediately got up
and went to the room where the noise had first begun. There
to his astonishment he saw Sir Hugh sitting upright in the bed.
He summoned the servants, and ordering them to place their
master in a warm bed, sent off for his medical attendants. In
a few weeks Sir Hugh was restored to perfect health, and
lived many years afterwards. He often used to relate this
strange story of his own resuscitation by his footman's facetious
conceit, for which he is said to have bequeathed him a handsome
annuity."
TJp to the year 1748 Boss remained as a
separate and distinct Eoman Catholic diocese : it
was then joined to Cloyne, and remained so until
the Synod of Thurles, 1851, when it was restored to
its original independent position. The late amiahle
and accomplished Eight Eev. Dr. Keane was the
first bishop under the new regime, and he was sue-
234 Sketches in Carbery.
ceeded by the present esteemed bishop, the Bight
Eev. Dr. O'Hea (1858), who is a worthy and dis-
tinguished successor to the long line of illustrious
prelates who have preceded him in the See of Ross.
That ancient See, indeed, is both venerable and
renowned; venerable by reason of the lengthened
period (thirteen centuries) which has elapsed since
it was first established by St. Fachnan, and renowned
for the sanctity, learning, and philanthropy of those ;
great and pious prelates, like St. Fachnan, De Cour-
cey, O'Herlihy, andMacEgan, the lustre of whose
names, and the memory of whose bright deeds, are
neither obscured nor dimmed by age but shine forth
even now with more than redoubled splendour.
The present Roman Catholic church, a handsome,
commodious building, was erected by the Eev. Jere-
miah Molony, P. P., who also was instrumental in
building schools for the education of children. He
was uncle to the present respected P.P. of Ross-
carbery, the Eev. J. Molony, Y. Gr. of Eoss. .
"Within the ancient graveyard of Ross what inte-
resting, though sad, associations of the past are re-
called to our minds ! What memories are awakened,
when we reflect that we stand on holy ground,
where many centuries ago an ancient monastery
flourished, whose occupants were men of distin-
guished piety and learning ; and that here rest the
honoured remains of many of our countrymen, whose
noble aspirations and good acts are deserving of
more than a passing tribute of affectionate remem-
brance and praise.
The old term, Ross Alithir (the Field or "Wood of
Pilgrimage), may still be applied with some truth
to the Rosscarbery of the present day. On the 24th
June (St. John's eve) every year, may be observed
Sk-'tches in Carbery. . -* 235
crowds of devotees, from various parts of the south
of Ireland, and even sometimes from England,
wending their way to the tomh of the Rev. John
Power, P. P., who died in 1831, and was buried
here.
He was a man of very amiable character, and said
to have possessed some knowledge of the healing
art, and, being greatly loved and respected by the
people whilst he lived, his memory has been honoured
by them since his death in a proportionate degree.
On each anniversary of his birthday a large congre-
gation assembles in the vicinity of the graveyard
and around the tomb — the lame, the blind, the old
and young, the healthy and sick, and destitute people
soliciting alms.
"Whilst some are praying and begging, others, who
have come for amusement sake, or as sight-seers, are
wandering about the town, laughing, eating, drink-
ing, gossiping, and match-making.
Of late years the numbers visiting the tomb on St.
John's eve have fallen off somewhat. On St. John's
night all the hills in the neighbourhood of Eoss, and,
in fact, throughout the country, present a sight most
interesting to the student of the picturesque and an-
tique ; bonfires blaze in every direction. It shows
how some of the old customs are still observed even
in* the nineteenth century, and that the practice,
whose origin carries us back into the shadowy past
of over two thousand years ago, still lingers on at
the present day.
It is said by historians that St. Patrick, when
converting the people of Ireland, engrafted several
of the pagan rites on Christian observance so as to
gradually smooth the way to a complete reform.
One of the most ancient pagan superstitions was the
236 Sketches in Carbery.
lighting of the Bel-teine Fires on the 1st May,
and also at the summer solstice. Yery few of
the many thousands who kindled the bonfire on the
hill-side, and leaped for merriment sake through the
flickering blaze, are aware that similar customs were
observed by their pagan ancestors. It is consoling,
however, to reflect that whereas the Druids lit their
fires to propitiate the fierce Baal, whose good
graces they believed were only to be obtained by
strange orgies, our modern fires were lit with the
opposite intent, viz. : As so many beacons of joy
and happiness to commemorate the advent of a
saintly man, and not to inaugurate the unholy rites
of a pagan deity.
Deeper research, and perhaps more careful obser-
vation will yet bring to light many interesting details
connected with the local history and antiquities of
Carbery. However, I am reminded that I have
already carried to a sufficient length the series of
sketches I have been engaged in writing. Many
interesting circumstances, and perhaps some impor-
tant facts have been either glossed over, or forgotten.
I trust, however, that I have contrived in some
degree to awaken the curiosity and satisfy the dis-
criminating taste of those who take an interest in the
ancient records and legendary lore of our native
land.
The student of history and the admirer of scenery
will always find in every direction portrayed on the
face of the country striking features, both natural
and artistic, which are well deserving of notice, and
worthy of being described, and the records of which
can only be elucidated by close study and patient
investigation.
If I have been instrumental in affording either
-, — __
Sketches in Garbery. 237
amusement or instruction to my readers, whilst avoid-
ing the introduction of any subject which could pro-
duce hostile criticism ; and if, moreover, I have in the
foregoing chapters supplied any matters of interest
which might help them to "while away a leisure
hour;" any time, or trouble, I may have devoted
to the completion of "The Sketches in Carbery"
will not pass away unrewarded.
THE END.
LIST OF SUBSCKIBEKS.
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Ahem, J., M. D. Cork.
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Allan, Frederick. Munster Bank, Cork.
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Bernard, The Hon. Colonel. Coolmain House, Bandon.
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Bull, J. R. Blackrock, Cork.
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240 List of Subscribers.
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Cave, Charles. 12th Regiment.
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Donovan, John. Cahara.
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Dennehy, Mrs. Skibbereen.
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Deasy, Rev. J., C. C. Union Hall.
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Downing, Francis, solicitor. Killarney.
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Fitzmaurice, F., solicitor. Dunmanway.
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L__
List of Subscribers. 241
Gallwey, Thomas. Glenburn, Glanmire, Cork, (i coni** ^
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Gall way, Michael. Kinsale, Co. Cork.
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17
M
242 List of Subscribers.
Ledwich, J., M. D. Dublin.
Leslie, J., druggist. Dublin.
Leonard, Charles. Waterford.
Lyons, Rev. J., C. C. Inchigeela.
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MacCarthy, Right Rev. Dr., R. C. Bishop of Cloyne. Queens-
town.
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Murray, Rev. T. L., P. P. Inniscarra, Co. Cork.
Morris, W. F. Durrus, Bantry.
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MacCarthy, Patrick. 30, Acre-street, Bradford, Yorkshire.
Maguire, Mrs. Ardmanas;h, Passage West, Cork.
M'Cartie, Rev. Denis, CO. St. Mary's Church, Jersey City,
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Notter, R. H., J. P. Schull, Co. Cork.
List of Subscribers. 243
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O'Driscoll, A. Summer Hill, Cork. (2 copies.)
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O'Hea, Mrs. Mary. Clonakilty.
O'Donovan, J., M. D. Leinster-road, Kingstown.
O'Sullivan, S., M. D. Camden-place, Cork.
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O'Sullivarr, P. Ballymena, Co. Wexford. (2 copies.)
O'Connolly, Dr. James. Durrus, Bantry.
O'Flaherty, Peter. New Ross, Enniscorthy, Co. "Wexford.
O'Shea, J., National Teacher. Castledonovan, Drimoleague.
O'Neill, W. Gorey, Wexford.
O'Neill, Rev. F., P. P. Gorey, Co. Wexford.
O'Driscol, F. Coolbawn, Drimoleague.
O'Callaghan, James, R. I. C. Drimoleague.
O'Hea, P., solicitor. Skibbereen.
Pbendergast, James, J. P. Ardfinana Castle, Co. Tipperary.
Palmer, Elliott. Day-place, Tralee. (2 copies.)
Philips, James. Bandon Arms' Hotel, Durrus, Bantry.
Reidy, Maurice. Castle Island, Co. Kerry.
Robinson, George, J. P. Coronea, Skibbereen.
Ronayne, J., M. P. Ring Ronain, Queenstown.
Riordau, J. Brighton-terrace, Cork. (2 copies.)
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244 List of Subscribers.
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Somerville, James, M. D. Union Hall, Co. Cork. (3 copies.)
Somerville, D. A. Ballincollig, Cork. (3 copies.)
Somerville, Thomas, J. P. The Prairie, Schull.
Sullivan, A.M., M. P. Dublin. (3 copies.)
Sullivan, D. B., B. L. Dublin.
St. Lawrence, Mrs. Castletownsend. (2 copies.)
Starkie, William, R. M. Queenstown.
Swanton, Robert. Ballybawn, Ballydehob.
j.. Swanton, James H. Pembroke-road, Dublin.
Sheehy, M., jun. Skibbereen.
Sheehy, T. The Square, Skibbereen.
Sheehan, Miss. Post Office, Leap.
Starkey, William, M. D. Dublin.
Stokes, Edward Day, J. P. Tralee, Co. Kerry.
Sweeny, Owen. Farrenconner, Castletownsend.
Shipsey, J. Cape Clear.
Sullivan, J., P. L. G. Union Hall.
Sheehan, Very Rev. Canon, P. P. Bantry.
Townsend, John, J. P. Glandore.
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Thacker, J. Molesworth-place, Dublin.
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Waldo, Edward M. Stonewall Park, Kent.
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Wright, George, B. L. Lower Baggot-street, Dublin.
AVright, Henry, solicitor. Clonakilty.
Wade, Robert, M. D. Great Brunswick-street, Dublin.
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